BUDDHIST  PARABLES 


By  the  same  author: 

Buddhist  Legends.  Translated  from  the  Dhammapada  Commentary. 
Three  Volumes.  Harvard  Oriental  Series,  28-30.  Harvard  Univer- 
sity Press. 


BUDDHIST  PARABLES 


TRANSLATED 
FROM  THE  ORIGINAL  PALI 


BY 


EUGENE  WATSON  BURLINGAME 

FELLOW   OF   THE   AMERICAN   ACADEMY   OF   ARTS   AND   SCIENCES 
LECTURER   IN  PALI     (1917-1918)    AT  YALE    UNIVERSITY 


A  parable,  O  monks,  I  here  give  unto  you, 

that  ye  may  understand  the  meaning  of  the  matter. 

Majjkima  Nikaya,  i.  117,  155. 


NEW  HAVEN 
YALE  UNIVERSITY  PRESS 

LONDON   •  HUMPHREY  MILFORD   •  OXFORD  UNIVERSITY  PRESS 

MDCCCCXXII 


COPYRIGHT,  1922,  BY 
YALE  UNIVERSITY  PRESS 


TO  MY  GRANDMOTHER 

WHO  WHEN  I  WAS  A  BOY  TAUGHT  ME  LETTERS 

AND  TOLD  ME  STORIES  MANY  AND  VARIOUS 


CONTENTS 

Preface  ^^^ 

Acknowledgments  xxui 

Introductory  Note  ^^^' 

Note  on  Pali  Names  xxviii 

Bibliographical  Note  xxviii 

Chapter  I.  Parables  from  the  Book  of  the  Buddha's  Previous 
Existences  on  the  gratefulness  of  animals  and  the  ungrateful- 
ness of  man 

1.  The  grateful  elephant  Ja.  156:  ii.  17  1 

Where  there's  a  will,  there's  a  way 

2.  Grateful  animals  and  ungrateful  man  Ja.  73:  i.  322  6 

Driftwood  is  worth  more  than  some  men 

3.  Elephant  and  ungrateful  forester  Ja.  72:i.  319        11 

The  whole  earth  will  not  satisfy  an  ungrateful  man 

Chapter  II.  Parables  from  the  Book  of  the  Buddha's  Previous 
Existences  and  from  the  Book  of  Discipline,  on  unity  and  dis- 
cord 

4.  Quail,  crow,  fly,  frog,  and  elephants  Ja.  357:  iii.  174        16 

The  biter  bit 

5.  Quails  and  fowler  Ja.  33:  i.  208        18 

In  union  there  is  strength 

6.  Brahmadatta,  Dighiti,  and  Dighavu  (cf.  7)        Vin.  i.  342        20 

Love  your  enemies 

7.  Dighavu  and  the  king  of  Benares  (cf.  6)  Ja.  371 :  iii.  211        28 

Love  your  enemies 

Chapter  III.  Parables  from  the  Book  of  the  Buddha's  Previous 
Existences  on  divers  subjects 

8.  Two  caravan-leaders  (cf.  45)  Ja.  1 :  i.  95        30 

Adhere  to  the  Truth 

9.  Vedabbha  and  the  thieves  Ja.  48:  i.  252        36 

Cupidity  is  the  root  of  ruin 
10.  A  Buddhist  Tar-baby   (cf.  21)  Ja.  55:i.  272        41 

Keep  the  Precepts 


viii  Contents 

11.  Two  dicers  (cf.  47)  Ja.  91:i.  379        44, 

Take  care! 

12.  Brahmadatta   and   Mallika  Ja.  151:ii.  1        45 

Overcome  evil  rvith  good 

13.  King  Dadhivahana 

Evil  communications  corrupt  good  manners 
Part  1.  Gem,  hatchet,  drum,  and  bowl         Ja.  186:  ii.  101        49 
Part  2.  Corrupt  fruit  from  a  good  tree         Ja.  186:  ii.  104        51 

14.  Antelope,  woodpecker,  tortoise,  and  hunter 

Ja.  206:ii.  152        58 
In  union  there  is  strength 

15.  A  Buddhist  Henny-Penny  Ja.  322:  iii.  74        55 

Much  ado  about  nothing 

Chapter  IV.  Parables  from  the  Book  of  the  Buddha's  Previous 
Existences  in  early  and  late  forms 

16.  Partridge,  monkey,  and  elephant 

Reverence  your  elders 

A.  Canonical  version 

B.  Uncanonical  version 

17.  The  hawk  (cf.  21) 

Walk  not  in  forbidden  ground 

A.  Canonical  version 

B.  Uncanonical  version 

18.  Snake-charm 

A  blessing  upon  all  living  beings! 

A.  Canonical  version 

B.  Uncanonical  version 

19.  Dragon  Jewel-neck  (cf.  20) 

Nobody  loves  a  beggar 

A.  Canonical  version 

B.  Uncanonical  version 

Chapter  V.  Parables  from  early  sources  on  divers  subjects 

20.  The  birds  (cf.  19)  Vin.  iii.  147        73 

Nobody  loves  a  beggar 

21.  The  monkey  (cf.  10  and  17)  S.  v.  148        74 

Walk  not  in  forbidden  ground 

22.  Blind  men  and  elephant  Udana,  66       76 

Avoid  vain  ivrangling 

23.  The  anger-eating  ogre  S.  i.  237        77 

Refrain  from  anger 


Vin.  ii.  161 

59 

Ja.  37:i.  217 

60 

S.v.  146 

62 

Ja.  168:  ii.  58 

63 

Vin.  ii.  109 

64 

Ja.  203:ii.  144 

GQ 

Vin.  iii.  145 

68 

Ja.  258:  ii.  283 

70 

Ja.  44:  i. 

246 

82 

Ja.  45:  i. 

248 

84 

Ja.  46:  i. 

249 

85 

Ja.  268  :ii. 

345 

87 

Ja.  153: 

ii.  9 

89 

Ja.  227:  ii. 

211 

90 

Contents  ix 

Chapter  VI.  Humorous  parables  from  early  and  late  sources 

24.  Mistress  Vedehika  M.  21:i.  125        79 

Patient  is  as  patient  does 

25.  Monkey  and  dyer  M.  56:i.  384        81 

The  Doctrine  of  the  Buddha  wears  well 

26.  How  not  to  hit  an  insect 

Better  an  enemy  ivith  sense  than  a  friend  without  it 

A.  Boy  and  mosquito 

B.  Girl  and  fly 

27.  Monkey-gardeners 

Misdirected  effort  spells  failure 

A.  One-stanza  version 

B.  Three-stanza  version 

28.  Boar  and  lion 

Touch  not  pitch  lest  ye  be  defiled 

29.  Beetle  and  elephant 

Pride  goeth  before  a  fall 

Chapter  VII.  Parables  from  various  sources  on  death 

30.  Kisa  Gotami  A.  cm.  225        92 

There  is  no  cure  for  death 

31.  Patacara  A.  cm.  213        94 

Kinsfolk  are  no  refuge 

32.  The  Heavenly  Messengers 

Prepare  for  death 

Part  1.  Makhadeva  M.  83 :  ii.  74  97 

Part  2.  Nimi  M.  83 :  ii.  78  99 

33.  Upasalhaka  Ja.  166:ii.  54  104 

Cremated  fourteen  thousand  times  in  one  place! 

34.  Ubbiri  Theri-gatha  cm.  No.  33        106 

Why  weep  for  eighty-four  thousand  daughters? 

35.  Visakha's  sorrow  Udana,  91      107 

So  many  dear  ones,  so  many  sorrows 

Chapter  VIII.  Parables  from  the  Long  Discourses  on  the  sub- 
ject: "Is  there  a  life  after  death.''" 

The  wicked  do  not  return  to  earth 

36.  The  condemned  criminal 
The  virtuous  do  not  return  to  earth 

37.  The  man  in  the  dung-pit 
The  virtuous  do  not  return  to  earth 

38.  Time  in  heaven 
How  do  we  know  that  the  gods  exist.'' 


D. 

23: 

319 

109 

D. 

23: 

321 

110 

D. 

23: 

322 

110 

D. 

23: 

324 

111 

D. 

23: 

326 

112 

D. 

23: 

327 

113 

D. 

23: 

327 

113 

X  Contents 

39.  The  blind  man  D.  23:ii.  328  113 
Why  do  not  the  virtuous  commit  suicide?  D.  23:  ii.  330  114 

40.  The  woman  with  child  D.  23:ii.  330  115 
We  cannot  see  tlie  soul  after  death  D.  23:  ii.  332  116 

41.  W^e  cannot  see  the  soul  during  life  D.  23:  ii.  333  116 
The  dead  are  heavier  than  the  living  D.  23:  ii.  331  116 

42.  Heat  makes  things  light  D.  23:  ii.  335  117 
We  cannot  see  the  soul  D,  23:  ii.  335  117 

43.  Villagers  and  trumpet  D.  23:ii.  337  118 
We  cannot  see  the  soul  D.  23:  ii.  339  119 

44.  The  search  for  fire  D.  23:  ii.  339  119 
Wilful  persistence  in  error  D.  23:  ii.  342  121 

45.  Two  caravan-leaders   (cf.  8)  D.  23:ii.  342  121 
Wilful  persistence  in  error  D.  23:ii.  346  123 

46.  Dung  for  fodder  D.  23:ii.  347  124 
Wilful  persistence  in  error  D.  23:  ii.  348  124 

47.  Two  dicers  (cf.  11)  D.  23:ii.  348  124 
Wilful  persistence  in  error  D.  23:ii.  349  125 

48.  Giving  up  better  for  worse  D.  23:  ii.  349  125 
Conversion  of  the  unbeliever  D.  23:  ii.  352  126 

Chapter  IX.  Parables  from  Buddhaghosa's  Legends  of  the  Saints 

49.  Ghosaka 

He  that  diggeth  a  pit  shall  fall  into  it 

A.  Story  of  the  Past:  A  father  casts  away  his  son 

A.  cm.  249  128 

B.  Story   of  the   Present:   Ghosaka   is   cast  away   seven 

times  A.  cm.  251  130 

50.  Little  Wayman 

The  last  shall  he  first 

A.  Birth  of  Little  Wayman  A.  cm.  130  138 

B.  Little  Wayman  as  a  monk  A.  cm.  132  140 

C.  Story  of  the  Past:  The  mouse-merchant       A.  cm.  134  143 

51.  Nanda  the  Elder 

Giving  up  worse  for  better 

A.  Canonical  version  Udana,  21  146 

B.  Uncanonical  version  A.  cm.  190  149 
62.  Bhadda  Kundalakesa  A.  cm.  220  151 

Quick  is  the  wit  of  woman 

53.   Visakha's  marriage  A.  cm.  241  158 

Honor  the  household  divinity 

64.   King  Kappina  and  Queen  Anoja  (cf.  62)  A.  cm.  193  171 

Behold  the  fruit  of  faith! 


Contents  xi 

65.   Khema  (cf.  56)  A.  cm.  205      176 

Beauty  is  but  shin-deep 

56.  Nanda  (cf.  55)  A.  cm.  217      178 

Beauty  is  hut  skin-deep 

Chapter  X.  Parables  from  early  sources  on  the  Doctrine 

57.  The  sower  S.  iv.  315      180 

Lihe  the  soil  of  the  earth  is  the  soil  of  the  heart 

58.  The  Buddha  and  Ananda  D.  ii.  138      182 

Whoever  walks  in  righteousness,  honors  the  Buddha 

59.  The  Buddha  and  Vakkali  S.  iii.  119      182 

Whoever  sees  the  Truth,  sees  Me 
Whoever  sees  Me,  sees  the  Truth 

60.  The  Buddha  and  the  sick  man  Vin.  i.  301      184 

He  that  would  wait  upon  Me,  let  him   wait  upon  the 
sick 

61.  The  snake  M.  i.  133      185 

Grasp  the  Scriptures  aright 

62.  Walking  on  the  water  (cf.  54)  Ja.  190:  ii.  Ill      186 

Behold  the  fruit  of  faith! 

63.  The  Beginningless  Round  of  Existences  (cf.  78-80) 

S.  ii.  178  (synopsis)      188 
Uproot  Craving,  the  Eye  of  Existence 

64.  The  relays  M.  24:i.  147      190 

The  Religious  Life  is  only  a  means  to  an  end 

65.  The  Great  Ocean  A.  iv.  197 

Vin.  ii.  237 
Udana,  53 
The  Doctrine  tastes  only  of  Deliverance 

66.  The  Buddha  and  the  herdsman  Dhaniya  Sn.  No.  2      197 

So  if  thou  wilt,  rain,  0  god! 

67.  The  axe  in  the  mouth  Sn.  No.  36      199 

Every  man  is  horn  with  an  axe  in  his  mouth 

Chapter  XI.  Similes  and  short  parables  from  the  Questions  of 
Milinda 

§1.  There  is  no  permanent  individuality 

68.  Chariot 
§2.   There  is  no  continuous  personal  identity 

69.  Embryo  and  child 

70.  Lamp  and  flame 

71.  Milk  and  butter 
§3.  What,  then,  is  reborn? 

Name-and-Form  is  reborn 


193 


Miln. 

25 

201 

Miln. 

27 

202 

Miln. 

40 

204 

Miln. 

40 

204 

Miln. 

40 

205 

Miln. 

41 

205 

Miln. 

46 

206 

Miln. 

46 

206 

xii  Contents 

72.  Theft  of  mangoes 

73.  Fire  in  a  field 

74.  Lamp  under  a  thatch 

75.  Girl  and  woman 

76.  Milk  and  curds 

What  is  Name  and  what  is  Form? 

77.  Germ  and  egg 
§4.  Time  has  no  beginning  (cf.  63) 

78.  Seed  and  fruit 

79.  Egg  and  hen 

80.  Circle 
§5.  Out  of  nothing  comes  nothing 

81.  Timbers  and  house 

82.  Seeds  and  plants 

83.  Clay  and  vessels 

84.  Lyre  and  sound 

85.  Fire-drill  and  fire 

86.  Burning-glass  and  fire 

87.  Mirror  and  reflection 
§6.  There  is  no  soul 

88.  Six  Doors  of  the  Senses 

89.  Men  in  palace 

90.  Man  outside  of  gateway 

91.  Man  in  trough  of  honey 
§7.  Why  does  not  the  fire  of  Hell  destroy  the  denizens 

of  Hell?  Miln.  67     215 

Because  of  the  Power  of  Kamma 

92.  Embryo  of  reptiles  and  birds 

93.  Embryo  of  beasts  of  prey 

94.  Human  embryo 
§8.   Nibb^ina  is  unalloyed  bliss 

95.  Bliss  of  sovereignty 

96.  Bliss  of  knowledge 
§9.   Nibbana  is  unlike  anything  else 

Unlike  anything  else  also  are: 

97.  The  great  ocean 

98.  The  gods  without  form 

But  it  has  the  following  qualities: 

99.  One  quality  of  the  lotus 

100.  Two  qualities  of  water 

101.  Three  qualities  of  medicine 

102.  Four  qualities  of  the  great  ocean 

103.  Five  qualities  of  food 


Miln. 

46 

206 

Miln. 

47 

207 

Miln. 

47 

207 

Miln. 

48 

208 

Miln. 

48 

208 

Miln. 

49 

209 

Miln. 

49 

209 

Miln. 

50 

209 

Miln. 

50 

210 

Miln. 

51 

210 

Miln. 

51 

210 

Miln. 

52 

210 

Miln. 

52 

211 

Miln. 

53 

211 

Miln. 

53 

211 

Miln. 

53 

211 

Miln. 

53 

212 

Miln. 

54 

212 

Miln. 

54 

212 

Miln. 

54 

213 

Miln. 

54 

213 

Miln. 

55 

213 

Miln. 

56 

214 

Miln. 

56 

214 

Miln.  67 

215 

Miln.  67 

216 

Miln.  68 

216 

Miln. 

313 

217 

Miln. 

314 

218 

Miln. 

315 

218 

Miln. 

315 

219 

Miln. 

316 

219 

Miln. 

317 

220 

Miln. 

318 

221 

Miln. 

318 

221 

Miln. 

319 

222 

Miln. 

319 

222 

Miln. 

320 

222 

Contents  xiii 

104.  Ten  qualities  of  space  Miln.  320  223 

105.  Three  qualities  of  the  wishing- jewel  Miln.  321  223 

106.  Three  qualities  of  red-sandalwood  Miln.  321  223 

107.  Three  qualities  of  the  cream  of  ghee  Miln.  322  224 

108.  Five  qualities  of  a  mountain-peak  Miln.  322  224 
§10.    Nibbana  is  neither  past  nor  future  nor  present 

Miln.  323  224 
It  is  neither  produced  nor  not  produced  nor  to  be 
produced.  Yet  it  exists^  and  may  be  realized 

109.  Escape  from  a  bon-fire  Miln.  323  225 

110.  Escape  from  a  heap  of  corpses  Miln.  324  225 

111.  Escape  from  peril  Miln.  324  226 

112.  Escape  from  mud  Miln.  324  226 

113.  Red-hot  iron  ball  Miln.  325  227 

114.  Bon-fire  Miln.  325  227 

115.  Traveler  who  has  lost  his  way                                 Miln.  326  228 
§11.   Nibbana  is  not  a  place                                     Miln.  326  228 

116.  Fields  and  crops  Miln.  326  228 

117.  Fire-sticks  and  fire  Miln.  327  229 

118.  Seven  Jewels  of  a  King  Miln.  327  229 
§12.  How  do  we  know  that  the  Buddha  ever  existed? 

Miln.  329  230 
How  do  we  know  that  Kings  existed  of  old.'' 

Miln.  329  230 

By  what  they  have  left  us  Miln.  330  231 

So  is  it  in  the  case  of  the  Buddha  Miln.  330  231 

119.  The  builder  of  a  city  is  known  by  his  city  Miln.  330  231 

120.  So  is  the  Buddha  known  by  his  City  of  Righteousness 

Miln.  331  232 

Seven  Shops  of  the  Buddha:  Miln.  332  233 

121.  Flower-shop  Miln.  332  233 

122.  Perfume-shop  Miln.  333  234 

123.  Fruit-shop                                                                      Miln.  333  234 
124.   Buyer  and  seller  of  mangoes                          Miln.  334  235 

125.  Medicine-shop  Miln.  334  235 

126.  Herb-shop  Miln.  335  236 

127.  Ambrosia-shop  Miln.  335  237 

128.  Jewel-shop  Miln.  336  237 

Seven  Jewels  of  the  Buddha:  Miln.  336  238 

129.  Morality  Miln.  336  238 

130.  Concentration  Miln.  337  238 

131.  Wisdom  Miln.  337  239 


XIV 


V                                              Contents 

132.   Deliverance 

Miln.  338 

240 

133.   Insight 

Miln.  338 

240 

134.  Analytical  Powers 

Miln.  339 

241 

135.   Prerequisites  of  Enlightenment 

Miln.  3i0 

242 

136.  General  shop 

Miln.  341 

243 

§13.  The  Pure  Practices 

137-162.  Twenty-six  similes 

Miln.  353 

244 

170. 


171. 


Chapter  XII.  Parables  from  the  Long  Discourses  on  the  Fruits 
of  the  Religious  Life 

Removal  of  the  Five  Obstacles 

163.  Payment  of  a  debt 

164.  Recovery  from  a  sickness 

165.  Release  from  prison 

166.  Emancipation  from  slavery 

167.  Return  from  a  journey 

The  Four  Trances 
First  Trance 

168.  Ball  of  lather 
Second  Trance 

169.  Pool  of  water  (cf.  179  and  203) 
Third  Trance 
Lotus-flowers 
Fourth  Trance 
Clean  garment 

Insight 

172.  Threaded  gem 
Creation  of  a  Spiritual  Body 

173.  Reed,  sword,  snake 
The  Six  Supernatural  Powers 

Magical  power 

174.  Potter,  ivory-carver,  goldsmith 
The  Heavenly  Ear 

175.  Sounds  of  drums 
Mind-reading 

176.  Reflection  in  a  mirror 
Recollection  of  previous  states  of  existence 

177.  Recollection  of  a  journey 
The  Heavenly  Eye 

178.  Mansion  at  cross-roads 
Knowledge  of  the  means  of  destroying  the  Three  Con- 
taminations:   Nibbana 

179.  Pool  of  water  (cf.  169  and  203) 


D.  2: 

i.  71 

246 

D.  2: 

i.  71 

246 

D.  2: 

i.  72 

247 

D.  2: 

i.  72 

247 

D.  2: 

i.  72 

247 

D.  2: 

i.  73 

248 

D.  2: 

i.  73 

248 

D.2: 

i.  73 

248 

D.  2: 

1.74 

249 

D.2: 

1.74 

249 

D.2:) 

1.74 

249 

D.2: 

I.  75 

250 

D.  2:i 

I.  75 

250 

D.2:] 

I.  75 

250 

D.2: 

1.76 

250 

D.2:] 

1.76 

251 

D.2: 

1.76 

251 

D.2:] 

.  77 

251 

D.2:] 

.  77 

252 

D.2:] 

.77 

252 

D.2:] 

.77 

252 

D.2:] 

.  78 

253 

D.2:] 

.79 

253 

D.2:] 

.79 

253 

D.2:] 

.79 

253 

D.  2:i 

.  80 

254 

D.  2:i 

.81 

254 

D.2:i 

.  81 

254 

D.2:) 

.  82 

255 

D.2:i 

.  83 

255 

hree  C 

yon- 

D.2:i 

.  83 

256 

D.  2:i 

.  84 

256 

Contents  xv 

Chapter  XIII.  Parables  from  the  Medium-length  Discourses  on 
two  kinds  of  herdsmen 

180.  Mara,  the  Wicked  Herdsman  M.  25:i.  151  258 
Destruction  of  the  Eye  of  Mara  M.  25:  i.  159  263 
The  Four  Trances  M.  25:i.  159  263 
Knowledge  of  the  means  of  destroying  the  Three  Con- 
taminations M.  25:i.  160  264 

181-183.   The  Buddha,  the  Good  Herdsman  I  M.  19:  i.  114  264 

How  Gotama  mastered  his  thoughts  M.  19:  i.  114  265 

181.  Herd  of  cows  M.  19:i.  115  265 
How  Gotama  concentrated  his  thoughts  M.  19:  i.  116  266 

182.  Herd  of  cows  M.  19:i.  116  266 
How  Gotama  attained  Enlightenment  M.  19:  i.  117  267 
The  Four  Trances  M.  19:i.  117  267 
Recollection  of  previous  states  of  existence  M.  19:i,  22  267 
The  Heavenly  Eye  M.  19:i.  22  268 
Knowledge  of  the  means  of  destroying  the  Three  Con- 
taminations M.  19:i.  23  268 

183.  Herd  of  deer  M.  19:i.  117  269 
The  Buddha,  the  Good  Herdsman  M.  19:  i.  118  270 

184.  The  Buddha,  the  Good  Herdsman  11  M.  34:i.  225  270 

Chapter  XIV.  Parables  from  the  Medium-length  Discourses  on 
the  Pleasures  of  Sense 

185-191.   Seven  Parables  M.  54:i.  364  274 

185.  Skeleton  M.  64:i.  364  274 

186.  Piece  of  meat  M.  54:i.  364  275 

187.  Torch  of  grass  M.  54:i.  365  275 

188.  Pit  of  red-hot  coals  M.  54:i.  365  275 

189.  Dream  M.  54:i.  365  276 

190.  Borrowed  goods  M.  54:i.  365  276 

191.  Fruit  of  tree  M.  54:i.  366  276 

192.  Creeper  and  tree  M.  45 :  i.  306  277 

Chapter  XV.   Parables   from  the  Medium-length  Discourses   on 
the  fruit  of  good  and  evil  deeds 

Four  Courses  of  Conduct  M.  46:i.  313  280 

Pain  now  and  pain  hereafter  M.  46:i.  313  280 

Pleasure  now  and  pain  hereafter  M.  46:  i.  313  280 

Pain  now  and  pleasure  hereafter  M.  46:  i.  314  281 

Pleasure  now  and  pleasure  hereafter  M.  46:i.  315  281 


XVI 


Contents 


193. 

Poisoned  calabash 

M.  46 :  i. 

315 

281 

194. 

Poisoned  cup 

M.  46:i. 

316 

281 

195. 

Foul-tasting  medicine 

M.  46:i. 

316 

282 

196. 

Curds  and  honey  and  ghee 

and 

jaggery 

M.  46 :  i. 

316 

282 

197. 

Even  as  the  sun,  so  shines 

righteousness 

M.  46:i. 

317 

283 

Five  Future  States 

M. 

12:] 

.73 

283 

Hell 

M. 

12:i 

1.74 

284 

198. 

Pit  of  red-hot  coals 

M. 

12:] 

1.74 

284 

Animal  kingdom 

M. 

12:] 

.  74 

285 

199. 

Dung-pit 

M. 

12:  ] 

.74 

285 

Region  of  the  fathers 

M. 

12:  ] 

1.75 

285 

200. 

Tree  with  scanty  shade 

M. 

12:i 

I.  75 

285 

World  of  men 

M. 

12:] 

L.  75 

286 

201. 

Tree  with  ample  shade 

M. 

12:] 

1.75 

286 

Worlds  of  the  Gods 

M. 

12:] 

1.76 

286 

202. 

Palace 

M. 

12: 

1.76 

286 

Nibbana 

M. 

12:] 

1.76 

287 

203. 

Lotus-pond  (cf.   169  and  1 

79) 

M. 

12:i 

1.76 

287 

Chapter  XVI.  Parables  of  the  Sacred  Heart  of  Buddha 

Thou  alone,  0  my  Heart,  art  called  to  be  the  Saviour 
of  All! 

A.  On  the  Treasury  of  Merits  of  Buddha 

Thou  art  a  Treasury  of  Merits! 

204.  On  the  Perfecting  of  the  Perfections 

Dhammapada  Comm.  i.  1 
Mine  eyes  have  I  torn  out!  my  heart's  flesh  have  I  up- 
rooted! 

205.  On  the  attainment  of  Enlightenment 

Dhammapada  Comm.  i.  8a 
Blessed  indeed  is  that  mother,  whose  son  is  such  a  one 
as  he! 

206.  Abatement  of  plagues  at  Vesali 

Dhammapada  Comm.  xxi.  1 
If  he  but  come  hither,  these  plagues  will  subside 

207.  The  king  who  took  upon  himself  the  sins  and  sufferings 

of  his  people  Sanskrit-Chinese 

//  there  be  any  that  hunger,  it  is  I  that  have  made 
them  hungry 

B.  On  the  Sacrifice  of  the  Body  and  Blood 

I  will  satisfy  the  hunger  of  my  friends  with  my  own 
body  and  blood! 


289 


289 


291 


293 


Contents  xvii 

208.  Boar  and  lion  Kathasaritsagara,  72     297 

Eat  me,  0  lion! 

209.  Fairy-prince  and  griffin  Kathasaritsagara,  22  and  90      298 

Eat  me,  0  griffin! 

210.  Jeweler,  monk,  and  goose  Sanskrit-Chinese     305 

I  am  ready  to  sacrifice  my   body  to  preserve  the  life 
of  this  goose! 

211.  Rupiivati  Divyavadana,  472-473,  478     313 

Only  that  I  might  attain  Supreme  Enlightenment! 

212.  King  Shibi  and  the  bird  Sanskrit-Chinese     314 

Thou  alone,  0  my  Heart,  art  called  to  be  the  Saviour 
of  All! 
C.  On  the  Sacrifice  of  the  Eyes 

Here  is  your  eye!  take  it! 

213.  King  Sivi  and  the  blind  beggar  Jataka  499     324 

Should  any  man  name  my  eyes,  I  will  pluck  them  out 
and  give  them  to  him! 

214.  Subha  of  Jivaka's  Mango  Grove 

Here  is  your  eye!  take  it! 

A.  Prose  version  Theri-gatha  Comm.  No.  71  325 

B.  Poetical  version  Theri-gatha,  366-399  327 

215.  The  prince-ascetic  Kathasaritsagara,  28  330 

Behold  this,  such  as  it  is!  take  it,  if  you  like! 

216.  Prince  Kunala  Divyavadana,  406     331 

Plucked  out,  the  eye  of  flesh;  but  gained,  the  Eye  of 
Knowledge! 

217.  St.  Brigid  of  Kildare 

A.  iSledieval  Latin  versions  Acta  Sanctorum     332 
Bearer  the  Eye  of  the  Soul  than  the  eye  of  the  body 

B.  Middle    Irish   version  Middle  Irish  Homilies     332 
Lo,  here  for  thee  is  thy  beautiful  eye! 

218.  St.  Lucy  of  Syracuse 

A.  Medieval  Latin  version   (early)  Acta  Sanctorum     333 

B.  Medieval  Latin  version  (late) 

Philippus  Bergoraensis,  De  Claris  Mtdieribus     333 
Here  hast   thou   tvhat   thou  hast  desired!  leave  me  in 
peace! 

219.  St.  Lucy  of  Alexandria 

John  Moschus,  Leimon,  Patrologia  Graeca     334 
And  seising  her  spindle,  she  bit,  and  gouged  out  her 
two  eyes 


XVIH 


Contents 


220.   King  (Richard  of  England)  and  nun 

Jacques  de  Vitry,  Exempla,  57      335 

Behold  the   eyes   that   thou   desirest!   take   them,  and 

leave  me  in  peace! 
Lost,  the  eyes  of  the  flesh;  but  kept,  the  Eyes  of  the 

Spirit 
Table  of  Parallels  *^^^ 


PREFACE 

THIS  volume  contains  upwards  of  two  hundred  similes,  alle- 
gories, parables,  fables,  and  other  illustrative  stories  and 
anecdotes,  found  in  the  Prdi  Buddhist  texts,  and  said  to  have  been 
employed,  either  by  the  Buddha  himself  or  by  his  followers,  for 
the  purpose  of  conveying  religious  and  ethical  lessons  and  the 
lessons  of  common  sense.  Much  of  the  material  has  never  before 
been  translated  into  English. 

Chapters  I-III  contain  parables  drawn,  with  a  single  exception, 
from  the  Book  of  the  Buddha's  Previous  Existences,  or  Jdtaka 
Book.  This  remarkable  work  relates  in  mixed  prose  and  verse 
the  experiences  of  the  Future  Buddha,  either  as  an  animal  or 
as  a  human  being,  in  each  of  550  states  of  existence  previous  to 
his  rebirth  as  Gotama.  The  textus  receptus  of  this  work  repre- 
sents a  recension  made  in  Ceylon  early  in  the  fifth  century  A.  D., 
but  much  of  the  material  is  demonstrably  many  centuries  older. 
For  example,  the  stanzas  rank  as  Canonical  Scripture,  and  many 
of  the  stories  (including  Parables  4  and  14  and  27)  are  illustrated 
by  Bharahat  sculptures  of  the  middle  of  the  third  century  B.  C. 
Parable  6  is  taken  from  the  Book  of  Discipline  or  Vinaya,  and  was 
very  possibly  related  by  the  Buddha  himself. 

With  Parable  1,  The  grateful  elephant,  compare  the  story  of 
Androclus  and  the  lion,  and  Gesta  Romanorum  104.  With  Para- 
ble 2,  Grateful  animals  and  ungrateful  man,  compare  E.  Cha- 
vannes.  Cinq  Cents  Contes  25;  A.  Schiefner,  Tibetan  Tales  26; 
Gesta  Romanorum  119;  and  the  following  stories  in  Grimm, 
Kinder-  und  Hausmarchen :  17  Die  weisse  Schlange,  60  Die  zwei 
Bruder,  62  Die  Bienenkonigin,  85  Die  Goldkinder,  107  Die  bciden 
Wanderer,  126  Fcrenand  getrii  un  Ferenand  ungetrii,  191  Das 
Mecrhaschen.  For  additional  parallels,  see  J.  Bolte  und  G.  Polivka, 
Anmerkungen  zu  den  Kinder-  und  Hausmarchen  der  Briidcr 
Grimm,  Marchcn  17,  62,  191. 

Parable  9,  Vedahhha  and  the  thieves,  is  the  original  of  Chaucer's 
Pardoner's  Tale.  With  Parable  10,  A  Buddhist  Tar-baby,  com- 


XX  Preface 

pare  E.  Chavannes,  Cinq  Cents  Contes  89  and  410 ;  also  the  well- 
known  story  in  Joel  Chandler  Harris,  Uncle  Remus,  His  Songs 
and  His  Sayings.  With  Parable  13,  Part  1,  Gem,  hatchet,  drum, 
and  howl,  compare  Grimm,  Kinder-  und  Hausmarchen:  36  Tisch- 
chen  deck  dich,  Goldesel,  und  Kniippel  aus  dem  Sack;  54  Der 
Ranzen,  das  Hiitlein,  und  das  Hornlein.  For  additional  parallels, 
see  Bolte-Polivka.  A  more  primitive  form  of  Parable  15,  A  Bud- 
dhist Henny-Penny,  will  be  found  in  A.  Schiefner,  Tibetan  Tales 
22.  Compare  the  well-known  children's  story  of  the  same  name. 
Parables  5  and  14  are  the  oldest  known  prototypes  of  Pancha- 
tantra.  Book  2,  Frame-story. 

Chapter  IV  contains  four  specimens  of  Jcitaka  parables  in 
early  and  late  forms.  Compare  also  Chapter  II,  Parables  6  and 
7;  and  Chapter  VIII,  Parables  45  and  47,  with  Chapter  III, 
Parables  8  and  11,  respectively.  The  reader  will  observe  that  in 
the  earlier  (Canonical)  versions,  the  Future  Buddha  has  not  yet 
become  identified  with  any  of  the  dramatis  personae.  This  material 
is  offered  as  a  contribution  to  the  history  of  the  evolution  of  the 
Buddhist  Parable. 

Chapter  V  contains  four  remarkably  fine  old  parables  which 
may  well  have  been  related  by  the  Buddha  himself. 

Chapter  VI  contains  several  typical  specimens  of  a  variety  of 
parable  which  will  undoubtedly  be  new  to  many  students  of  reli- 
gious literature — the  Humorous  Parable. 

Chapter  VII  contains  several  specimens  of  Parables  on  Death. 
With  Parable  30,  Kisd  Gotami,  compare  E.  Chavannes,  Cinq 
Cents  Contes  224;  Budge,  Ethiopic  Pseudo-Callisthenes,  pp.  306- 
808,  374-376;  Sir  Edwin  Arnold,  Light  of  Asia,  Book  5;  John 
Hay,  Poems,  The  Law  of  Death.  A  modern  Burmese  version  of 
Parables  30  and  31  combined  will  be  found  in  H.  Fielding  Hall, 
Soul  of  a  People,  pp.  272-278.  For  a  Tibetan  version  of  Parable 
31,  Patdcdrd,  see  Tibetan  Tales,  pp.  222-226.  Parable  31  is  one  of 
the  three  principal  sources  of  the  legend  of  St.  Eustace,  the  other 
two  being  Jatakas  12  and  547.  For  a  recent  treatment  of  the 
history  of  tliis  legend,  see  H.  Deleliaye,  La  legcnde  de  saint  Eus- 
tachc,  Bull,  de  I'Acad.  roy.  de  Belgique  (Classe  des  lettrcs),  1919, 
pp.  175-210.  Compare  the  history  of  Faustus,  Faustinus,  and 
Faustianus,  in  the  Clementine  Rccognitiones,  200  A.  D.  (outline 
in  Diet.  Chr.  Biog.,  i.  569-570)  ;  Gcsta  Romanorum  110;  Golden 


Preface  xxi 

Legend,  St.  Eustace;  Early  English  metrical  romance  of  Sir 
Ysumbras ;  and  the  story  of  Abu  Sabir  in  the  Arabian  Nights 
(Burton,  Supplemental  Nights,  i.  81-88). 

Chapter  VIII  contains,  in  the  form  of  an  imaginary  dialogue 
between  an  unbeliever  and  the  Buddhist  sage  Kumara  Kassapa,  a 
lengthy  discussion  of  the  subject:  "Is  there  a  life  after  death.'"' 
In  order  to  refute  objections  advanced  by  the  unbeliever,  the  sage 
relates  thirteen  remarkably  fine  parables,  finally  vanquishing  his 
antagonist.  The  arguments  pro  and  con  are  the  same  that  have 
been  used  ever  since  men  began  to  discuss  this  important  subject. 
The  dialogue  forms  one  of  the  chapters  of  the  Long  Discourses, 
one  of  the  oldest  of  the  Buddhist  books,  but  is  quite  modern  in 
its  freshness. 

Chapter  IX  contains  several  parables  from  a  commentary  on 
the  Aiiguttara  Nikaya  composed  by  Buddhaghosa  in  the  early 
part  of  the  fifth  century  A.  D.  The  first  two  parables  in  Chapter 
VII  are  from  the  same  source.  Parallels  from  a  commentary  on 
the  Dhammapada  composed  by  a  contemporary  of  Buddhaghosa 
will  be  found  in  the  author's  Buddhist  Legends. 

Parable  49,  Ghosaka,  has  traveled  all  over  the  world.  For  the 
principal  Oriental  versions,  see  J.  Schick,  Corpus  Hamleticum, 
Berlin,  1912.  For  an  interesting  Chinese  Buddhist  version,  see 
E.  Chavannes,  Cinq  Cents  Contes  45.  This  story  appears  to  be  the 
source  of  the  ninth  century  apoci'yphal  legend  of  the  seven  mar- 
vels attending  the  birth  of  Zoroaster;  see  the  author's  paper  in 
Studies  in  Honor  of  Maurice  Bloomfield,  pp.  105-116.  For  some 
interesting  European  derivatives,  see  Gesta  Romanorum  20  and 
283 ;  Golden  Legend,  Pope  St.  Pelagius ;  William  Morris,  Old 
French  Romances,  King  Coustans  the  Emperor  (thirteenth  cen- 
tury) ;  Schiller's  ballad  Fridolin ;  Grimm,  Kinder-  und  Haus- 
marchen,  29  Der  Teufel  mit  den  drei  goldenen  Haaren.  For  addi- 
tional derivatives,  see  Bolte-Polivka,  i.  286-288.  The  story  of 
Amleth  in  the  Danish  History  of  Saxo  Grammaticus  contains  two 
derivatives,  of  which  one  is  utilized  by  Shakespeare  in  Hamlet. 

Chapter  X  is  a  miscellaneous  collection  of  parables  from  early 
sources.  These  parables  are  all  much  older  than  the  beginning  of 
the  Christian  era,  and  it  is  altogether  probable  that  some  of  them, 
more  particularly  Parables  57,  58,  59,  60,  63,  and  65,  enshrine 
the  very  words  of  the  Buddha  himself. 


xxii  Preface 

Chapter  XI  contains  numerous  selections  from  a  collection  of 
imaginary  dialogues  between  Menander,  Greek  king  of  Bactria, 
125-95  B.  C,  and  the  Buddhist  sage  Nagasena.  §§  1-7  are  prob- 
ably as  old  as  the  beginning  of  the  Christian  era;  §§  8-13  are 
probably  not  older  than  the  beginning  of  the  fifth  century  A.  D. 
The  illustrative  material  is  wonderfully  vivid  and  beautiful,  and 
the  expositions  of  Buddhist  teaching  on  the  non-existence  of  the 
soul  and  on  Nibbana  (Nirvana)  are  of  prime  importance  to  all 
students  of  the  History  of  Religions. 

Chapters  XII-XV  contain  selections  from  the  Long  and 
Medium-length  Discourses  of  the  Buddha,  two  of  the  oldest  of 
the  Buddhist  books.  References  to  the  Buddhist  Scriptures  in 
the  Bhabra  edict  of  Asoka,  and  other  considerations,  amply 
justify  the  statement  that  the  Pali  originals  of  these  four  chap- 
ters, and  of  Chapters  Y,  VIII,  and  X  as  well,  are,  in  their  present 
form,  at  least  three  centuries  anterior  to  the  Christian  era.  Chap- 
ters XII  and  XIII  elucidate  fully  the  Practice  of  Meditation 
enjoined  by  the  Buddha  on  his  followers  as  the  Way  of  Salvation. 
Chapters  XIV  and  XV  deal  with  the  problem  of  conduct  and  its 
future  rewards  and  punishments.  These  chapters  should  be  of 
particular  interest  to  students  of  the  History  of  Religions. 

Chapter  XVI  is  a  miscellaneous  collection  of  parables  turning 
on  the  Sacrifice  of  the  Body  and  Blood  and  on  the  closely  related 
Sacrifice  of  the  Eyes, — favorite  motifs  in  Buddhist  fiction.  These 
parables  illustrate  in  a  very  striking  manner  the  beginnings  and 
early  development  of  Mahayana  doctrines.  Parables  204-206  are 
adaptations  of  translations  by  the  author  from  the  Dhammapada 
Comment  art/,  published  in  Buddhist  Legends.  Parables  207,  210, 
and  212  are  English  translations  of  French  translations  of 
Chinese  translations  of  Sanskrit  originals  dating  from  about  the 
beginning  of  the  Christian  era.  Parables  208  and  209  are  adapta- 
tions of  C.  H.  Tawney's  translations  from  the  K atluisaritsagara, 
corrected  with  reference  to  the  original  text.  As  a  collection,  the 
K athasaritsagara  is  a  late  Avork,  but  most  of  the  material  is  very 
old.  Parable  215  is  a  literal  translation  from  this  work.  Parables 
211  and  216  are  translations  from  the  Buddhist  Sanskrit  work 
Divydvaduna,  a  collection  of  legends  compiled  in  the  second  or 
third  century  A.  D. 

Parables  213  and  214,  the  finest  of  the  Buddhist  parables  turn- 


Preface  xxiii 

ing  on  the  Sacrifice  of  the  Eyes,  are  from  the  Pali,  and  are  very 
old.  Parable  214,  Suhhd  of  Jivaka's  Mango  Grove, — a  veritable 
Indian  Comus, — is  taken  from  the  Stanzas  of  the  Nuns,  a 
canonical  work,  and  is  at  least  as  old  as  the  third  century  B.  C. 
From  Parable  214  are  derived  the  four  Buddhist-Christian  para- 
bles with  which  the  chapter  closes.  The  oldest  of  these,  Parable 
219,  was  composed  in  Greek  at  Rome  by  John  Moschus  in  615 
A.  D.  The  author  expressly  says  that  he  heard  the  story  in 
Alexandria.  Parable  220  occurs  in  the  Exempla  of  Jacques  de 
Vitry,  a  manual  of  illustrative  stories  for  the  use  of  preachers 
compiled  early  in  the  thirteenth  century.  It  is  the  original  of 
innumerable  Medieval  versions.  Parables  217  and  218  date  from 
the  fourteenth  or  fifteenth  century. 

The  book  is  thus  a  collection  of  specimens  of  an  unusually  inter- 
esting type  of  literary  composition;  a  text-book  of  the  teachings 
of  the  Buddha,  presented  just  as  the  Buddha  and  his  followers 
presented  them,  by  discourse  and  example;  and  a  collection  of 
good  stories, — all  in  one.  It  contains  much  that  will  interest  chil- 
dren;  it  also  contains  much  that  will  puzzle  the  profoundest 
philosopher. 


ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 

Just  as  the  thought  of  preparing  a  translation  of  the  legends 
embodied  in  the  Dhammapada  Commentary  was  first  suggested  to 
my  mind  by  a  query  of  Professor  T.  W.  Rhys  Davids  in  his  Ameri- 
can Lectures  on  Buddhism  (page  69),  so  also  the  thought  of  pub- 
lishing a  volume  of  selections  of  Buddhist  parables  and  illustrative 
stories  was  first  suggested  to  my  mind  by  INIrs.  C.  A.  F,  Rhys 
Davids's  articles  on  Buddhist  Parables  and  Similes  in  the  Open 
Court  for  1908,  and  on  Similes  in  the  Nikdijas  in  the  Journal  of 
the  Pali  Text  Society  for  1906-1908.  I  need  hardly  say  that  in 
common  with  other  students  of  the  Pali  texts  I  am  deeply  indebted 
to  the  enthusiastic  and  persevering  labors  of  these  two  dis- 
tinguished scholars. 

But  it  is  chiefly  to  three  distinguished  American  scholars  that 
I  owe  the  inspiration  of  the  series  of  volumes  of  which  this  book 


xxiv  Preface 

is  one, — Professor  Charles  Rockwell  Lanman  of  Harvard  Uni- 
versit}',  Professor  Maurice  Bloomfield  of  the  Johns  Hopkins 
University,  and  the  late  Professor  Morris  Jastrow  of  the  Uni- 
versity of  Pennsylvania.  Through  his  exercises  in  the  Fables  of 
Bidpai,  the  late  Professor  Jastrow  first  opened  my  eyes  to  the 
immense  possibilities  of  this  body  of  literature.  In  innumerable 
ways,  such  as  will  readily  suggest  themselves  to  those  who  knew 
him  well,  he  assisted  me  in  my  work,  and  through  his  untimely 
death  I  have  suffered  a  profound  personal  loss.  Under  Professor 
Bloomfield  I  studied  for  many  years,  and  through  his  exercises 
in  the  A^edas,  in  the  fiction-collections  of  India,  and  in  Compara- 
tive Grammar,  laid  the  foundations  of  a  sound  philological 
method.  Professor  Lanman  first  opened  the  Pali  texts  to  me,  and 
did  more  than  any  other  to  assist  me  to  interpret  them.  It  is  not 
only  a  duty  but  a  pleasure  to  record  my  indebtedness  to  these 
three  distinguished  scholars. 

I  wish  also  to  thank  Professor  E.  Washburn  Hopkins  of  Yale 
University  for  a  careful  review  of  the  manuscript  of  the  present 
work,  and  for  many  helpful  suggestions. 

I  am  greatly  indebted  to  Mr.  Andrew  Keogh,  Librarian  of  Yale 
University,  and  to  Mr.  James  I.  Wyer,  Director  of  the  New  York 
State  Library,  for  generous  facilities  accorded  me  in  the  loan 
of  books.  I  am  also  under  obligations  to  Professor  Lanman  for 
the  loan  of  a  rare  copy  of  Buddhaghosa's  Anguttara  Commen- 
tary, Colombo,  1904.  It  is  from  this  text  that  the  translations  of 
Buddhaghosa's  Legends  of  the  Saints  have  been  made. 

I  have  to  thank  Mr.  Langdon  Warner,  Director  of  the  Pennsyl- 
vania Museum,  Philadelphia,  for  permission  to  reproduce  the 
beautiful  Gracco-Buddhist  head  which  forms  the  frontispiece  to 
the  present  volume. 

Last,  but  by  no  means  least,  my  most  hearty  thanks  are  due 
to  Mr.  George  Parmly  Day,  President  of  the  Yale  University 
Press,  for  invaluable  assistance  rendered  in  connection  with  the 
execution  and  publication  of  this  book. 

E.  W.  B. 

Yale  University, 

New  Haven,  Connecticut, 

June  1,  1918.  [Revised  to  September  1,  1922.] 


INTRODUCTORY  NOTE 

GOTAMA  BUDDHA  was  born  nearly  twenty-five  centuries 
ago  in  the  city  of  Kapila,  in  North-East  India,  Kapila  was 
the  principal  city  of  the  Sakya  tribe,  and  his  father  was  king  of 
the  tribe.  Gotama  was  his  family  name.  Buddha  means  Awakened 
or  Enlightened,  that  is  to  say,  awakened  or  enlightened  to  the 
cause  and  the  cure  of  human  suffering. 

The  Buddhist  Scriptures  tell  us  that  when  Gotama  was  born, 
the  angels  rejoiced  and  sang.  An  aged  wise  man  inquired:  "Why 
doth  the  company  of  angels  rejoice.^"  They  replied:  "He  that  shall 
become  Buddha  is  born  in  the  village  of  the  Sakyas  for  the  welfare 
and  happiness  of  mankind;  therefore  are  we  joyful  and  exceeding 
glad." 

The  wise  man  hastened  to  the  king's  house,  and  said :  "Where  is 
the  child.''  I,  too,  wish  to  see  him."  They  showed  him  the  child. 
When  he  saw  the  child,  he  rejoiced  and  was  exceeding  glad.  And  he 
took  him  in  his  arms,  and  said :  "Without  an  equal  is  he !  foremost 
among  men !"  Then,  because  he  was  an  old  man,  and  knew  that  he 
was  soon  to  die,  he  became  sorrowful  and  wept  tears. 

Said  the  Sakyas:  "Will  any  harm  come  to  the  child.''"  "No," 
replied  the  wise  man,  "this  child  shall  one  day  become  Buddha; 
out  of  love  and  pity  for  mankind  he  shall  set  in  motion  the  Wheel 
of  Religion ;  far  and  wide  shall  his  religion  be  spread.  But  as  for 
me,  I  have  not  long  to  live ;  before  these  things  shall  come  to  pass, 
death  will  be  upon  me.  Therefore  am  I  stricken  with  woe,  over- 
whelmed with  sorrow,  afflicted  with  grief." 

Seven  days  after  Gotama  was  born,  his  mother  died,  and  he  was 
brought  up  by  his  aunt  and  stepmother.  When  he  was  nineteen 
years  old,  he  married  his  own  cousin.  For  ten  years  he  lived  a  life 
of  ease,  in  the  enjoyment  of  all  the  comforts  and  luxuries  which 
riches  and  high  position  could  give  him.  When  he  was  twenty-nine 
years  old,  a  change  came  over  him. 


xxvi  Introductory  Note 

For  many  centuries,  it  has  been  a  common  belief  in  India  that 
when  a  human  being  dies,  he  is  at  once  born  again.  If  he  has  lived 
a  good  life,  he  will  be  bom  again  on  earth  as  the  child  of  a  king 
or  of  a  rich  man,  or  in  one  of  the  heavens  as  a  god.  If  he  has  lived 
an  evil  life,  he  will  be  born  again  as  a  ghost,  or  as  an  animal,  or  in 
some  place  of  torment. 

According  to  this  belief,  every  person  has  been  born  and  has 
lived  and  died  so  many  times  that  it  would  be  impossible  to  count 
the  number.  Indeed,  so  far  back  into  the  past  does  this  series  of 
lives  extend  that  it  is  impossible  even  to  imagine  a  beginning  of 
the  series.  What  is  more  to  the  point,  in  each  of  these  lives  every 
person  has  endured  much  suffering  and  misery. 

Said  the  Buddha:  "In  weeping  over  the  death  of  sons  and 
daughters  and  other  dear  ones,  every  person,  in  the  course  of  his 
past  lives,  has  shed  tears  more  abundant  than  all  the  water  con- 
tained in  the  four  great  oceans." 

And  again:  "The  bones  left  by  a  single  person  in  the  course 
of  his  past  lives  would  form  a  pile  so  huge  that  were  all  the  moun- 
tains to  be  gathered  up  and  piled  in  a  heap,  that  heap  of  moun- 
tains would  appear  as  nothing  beside  it." 

And  again :  "The  head  of  every  person  has  been  cut  off  so  many 
times  in  the  course  of  his  past  lives,  either  as  a  human  being  or  as 
an  animal,  as  to  cause  him  to  shed  blood  more  abundant  than  all 
the  water  contained  in  the  four  great  oceans." 

Nothing  more  terrible  than  this  can  be  imagined.  Yet  for  many 
centuries  it  has  been  a  common  belief  in  India.  Wise  men  taught 
that  there  was  a  way  of  escape,  a  Avay  of  salvation.  If  a  person 
wished  to  avoid  repeated  lives  of  suffering  and  misery,  he  must 
leave  home  and  family  and  friends,  become  a  monk,  and  devote 
himself  to  fasting,  bodily  torture,  and  meditation. 

The  Buddhist  Scriptures  tell  us  that  when  Gotama  was  twenty- 
nine  years  old,  he  saw  for  the  first  time  an  Old  ]\Ian,  a  Sick  Man, 
a  Dead  Man,  and  a  Monk.  The  thought  that  in  the  course  of  his 
past  lives  he  had  endured  old  age,  sickness,  and  death,  times  with- 
out number,  terrified  him,  and  he  resolved  to  become  a  monk. 

Leaving  home  and  wife  and  son,  he  devoted  himself  for  six 
years  to  fasting,  bodily  torture,  and  meditation.  Finally  he  be- 
came convinced  that  fasting  and  bodily  torture  were  not  the  way 


Introductory  Note  xxvii 

of  salvation,  and  abandoned  the  struggle.  One  night  he  had  a 
wonderful  experience.  First  he  saw  the  entire  course  of  his  past 
lives.  Next  he  saw  the  fate  after  death  of  all  living  beings.  Finally 
he  came  to  understand  the  cause  of  human  suffering  and  the  cure 
for  it. 

Thus  it  was  that  he  became  Buddha,  the  Awakened,  the  Enlight- 
ened. He  saw  that  the  cause  of  rebirth  and  suffering  was  craving 
for  worldly  pleasures  and  life  and  riches.  He  saw  that  if  this 
craving  were  uprooted,  rebirth  and  suffering  would  come  to  an 
end.  He  saw  that  this  craving  could  be  uprooted  by  right  belief, 
right  living,  and  meditation. 

Fob  forty-five  years  the  Buddha  journeyed  from  place  to  place, 
preaching  and  teaching.  He  founded  an  order  of  monks  and  nuns, 
and  won  many  converts.  He  lived  to  be  eighty  years  old.  Mission- 
aries carried  his  teachings  from  India  to  Ceylon  and  Burma  and 
China  and  Tibet  and  Japan.  In  a  few  hundred  years  the  religion 
of  the  Buddha  had  spread  over  the  whole  of  Asia.  Hundreds  of  mil- 
lions of  human  beings  have  accepted  his  teachings. 

In  at  least  two  respects,  the  teachings  of  the  Buddha  were  quite 
remarkable.  In  the  first  place,  he  insisted  on  the  virtue  of  modera- 
tion. He  urged  upon  his  hearers  to  avoid  the  two  extremes  of  a 
life  devoted  to  fasting  and  self-torture  and  a  life  of  self-indulgence. 
In  the  second  place,  he  taught  that  a  man  must  love  his  neighbor 
as  himself,  returning  good  for  evil  and  love  for  hatred.  But  this 
was  not  all.  He  taught  men  to  love  all  living  creatures  without 
respect  of  kind  or  person.  He  taught  men  not  to  injure  or  kill  any 
living  creature,  whether  a  human  being  or  an  animal,  even  in  self- 
defense.  All  war,  according  to  the  teaching  of  the  Buddha,  is 
unholy. 

Ix  the  course  of  time  it  came  to  be  believed  that  Gotama  had 
become  Buddha  as  the  fruit  of  good  deeds  performed  in  count- 
less previous  states  of  existence,  especially  deeds  of  generosity.  At 
any  time,  had  he  so  desired,  he  might  have  uprooted  craving  for 
worldly  pleasures  and  life  and  riches  by  meditation,  and  thus  have 
escaped  the  sufferings  of  repeated  states  of  existence.  But  this 
he  deemed  an  unworthy  course.  Out  of  pity  and  compassion  and 


xxviii  Introductory  Note 

friendliness  for  living  creatures,  he  preferred  to  be  reborn  again 
and  again,  to  suffer  and  to  die  again  and  again,  in  order  that,  by 
the  accumulated  merit  of  good  works,  he  might  himself  become 
enlightened  and  thus  be  able  to  enlighten  others. 

In  comparison  with  the  career  of  the  Future  Buddha,  devoted 
to  the  performance  of  good  works,  unselfish,  generous  to  the  point 
of  sacrificing  his  own  body  and  blood,  the  career  of  the  monk, 
isolated  from  the  world,  selfish,  seeking  by  meditation  to  uproot 
craving  for  worldly  pleasures  and  life  and  riches,  seemed  low  and 
mean.  The  disciple  began  to  imitate  his  Master.  Thus  began  the 
Higher  Career  or  Vehicle  of  INIahayana  or  Catholic  Buddhism,  as 
distinguished  from  the  Lower  Career  or  Vehicle  of  the  more  primi- 
tive Hinayana  Buddhism  of  the  Pali  texts.  Thus  did  the  quest  of 
Buddhahood  supplant  the  quest  of  Nibbana.  This  development 
took  place  long  before  the  beginning  of  the  Christian  era. 

NOTE  ON  PRONUNCIATION  OF  PALI  NAMES 

With  certain  exceptions,  both  vowels  and  consonants  are  pro- 
nounced as  in  Latin  and  Greek, — the  vowels  in  the  so-called 
Continental  manner.  Exceptions :  short  a  is  pronounced  like  u 
in  but;  e  and  o  are  short  in  closed  syllables,  otherwise  long;  c  is 
pronounced  like  ch  in  church,  j  as  in  judge;  kh,  gh,  oh,  jh,  th, 
dh,  th,  dh,  ph,  and  bh  are  true  aspirates,  th,  for  example,  being 
pronounced  like  th  in  hothouse,  dh  like  dh  in  madhouse;  t,  th, 
d,  dh,  n,  and  I  are  modified  dentals,  being  pronounced  with  the  tip 
of  the  tongue  turned  up  and  drawn  back ;  ih  indicates  nasalization 
of  the  preceding  vowel.  Accent  as  in  Latin. 

BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTE 

For  an  account  of  the  Buddha's  life  and  teachings,  see  T.  W. 
Rhys  Davids's  articles  Buddha  and  Buddhism  in  Encyclopaedia 
Britannica,  11th  edition.  See  also  Hermann  Beckh,  Buddhismus 
(Buddha  und  seine  Lehre),  Sammlung  Goschcn,  Berlin  und  Leip- 
zig, 1919-1920.  On  Buddhism  as  a  world-religion,  sec  H. 
Hackmann,  Buddhism  as  a  Religion,  I^ondon,  1910.  On  the 
history  of  Ihuldhist  doctrine,  see  Louis  de  la  Vallec  Poussin's 
article  Mahuydna  in  Hastings's  Encyclopaedia  of  Religion  and 


Introductory  Note  xxix 

Ethics;  also  the  same  author's  Bouddhisme:  Opinions  sur  VHis- 
toire  de  la  Dogmatique,  Paris,  1909.  For  admirable  brief  treat- 
ments of  the  subject  of  New  Testament  parables,  with  full 
bibliographies,  see  E.  E.  Nourse's  article  Parable  {Introductory 
and  Biblical)  in  Hastings's  Encyclopaedia  of  Religion  and  Ethics, 
and  A.  Jiilicher's  article  Parables  in  Encyclopaedia  Biblica.  For 
a  scholarly  treatment  of  the  problem  presented  by  Mark  iv.  11, 
12,  see  A.  Loisy,  Uevangtle  selon  Marc,  pp.  128-133. 


CHAPTER  I 

PARABLES  FROM  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  BUDDHA'S  PRE- 
VIOUS EXISTENCES  ON  THE  GRATEFULNESS 
OF  ANIMALS  AND  THE  UNGRATEFUL- 
NESS OF  MAN 

1.  THE  GRATEFUL  ELEPHANT 

Where  there's  a  will,  there's  a  way. 
Jataka  156:  ii.  17-23. 

Relying  on  Noble-heart.  This  parable  was  related  by  the  Teacher  while 
he  was  in  residence  at  Jetavana  with  reference  to  a  certain  monk  who 
relaxed  effort.  Said  the  Teacher  to  him:  "Of  a  truth,  monk,  did  you 
not,  in  a  previous  state  of  existence,  by  exerting  yourself,  get  and  give 
to  a  young  prince  no  bigger  than  a  piece  of  meat,  dominion  over  the  city 
of  Benares,  a  city  twelve  leagues  in  measure?"  So  saying,  he  related 
the  following  Story  of  the  Past: 

In  times  past,  when  Brahmadatta  ruled  at  Benares,  there  was  a 
carpenters'  settlement  not  far  from  Benares.  In  this  settlement 
lived  five  hundred  carpenters.  They  would  go  up-stream  in  a  boat, 
cut  timber  for  building  materials  for  houses  in  the  forest,  and 
prepare  houses  of  one  or  more  stories  on  the  spot.  Then,  marking 
all  of  the  timbers,  beginning  with  the  pillars,  they  would  carry 
them  down  to  the  river-bank,  load  them  on  a  boat,  return  to  the 
city  with  the  current,  and  for  a  price  build  for  any  particular 
person  any  particular  kind  of  house  he  desired  to  have  built.  Then 
they  would  go  back  to  the  forest  and  get  building  materials  once 
more.  Thus  they  made  their  living. 

One  day,  not  far  from  the  camp  where  they  were  fashioning 
timbers,  a  certain  elephant  trod  on  an  acacia  splinter,  and  the 
splinter  pierced  his  foot.  He  suffered  intense  pain,  and  his  foot 
became  swollen  and  festered.  Maddened  with  pain,  hearing  the 
sound  of  those  carpenters  fashioning  timbers,  thinking  to  himself, 


2  Gratefulness  of  Animals  [Chap.  I. 

"With  the  help  of  these  carpenters  I  can  get  relief,"  he  went  to 
them  on  three  feet  and  lay  down  not  far  off.  The  carpenters  saw 
that  his  foot  was  swollen,  and  on  drawing  closer,  saw  the  splinter 
in  his  foot.  So  making  incisions  all  round  the  splinter  with  a 
sharp  knife,  they  tied  a  cord  to  the  splinter,  removed  the  splinter 
with  a  pull,  let  out  the  pus,  washed  the  wound  with  hot  water,  and 
by  applying  proper  remedies,  in  no  very  long  time  made  the  wound 
comfortable. 

When  the  elephant  was  well,  he  thought :  "I  owe  my  life  to  these 
carpenters;  now  I  ought  to  do  something  for  them."  From  that 
time  on  he  helped  the  carpenters  remove  trees,  rolled  them  over 
and  held  them  for  the  carpenters  while  they  were  fashioning  them, 
brought  them  their  tools,  and  held  the  measuring-cord,  taking  it 
by  the  end  and  wrapping  his  trunk  about  it.  As  for  the  carpenters, 
when  it  was  time  to  eat,  each  one  of  them  gave  the  elephant  a 
morsel  of  food;  thus  in  all  they  gave  him  five  hundred  morsels  of 

food. 

Now  that  elephant  had  a  son,  and  he  was  pure  white,  a  noble  son 
of  a  noble  sire.  So  the  following  thought  occurred  to  the  elephant : 
"I  am  now  old.  I  ought  therefore  to  give  my  son  to  these  car- 
penters to  help  them  in  their  work,  and  myself  go  away."  Without 
saying  a  word  to  the  carpenters,  he  entered  the  forest,  and  leading 
his  son  to  the  carpenters,  said :  "This  young  elephant  is  my  son. 
You  gave  me  my  life;  I  give  you  this  elephant  by  way  of  paying 
the  fee  which  I  owe  to  my  physicians.  Henceforth  he  will  work  for 

you." 

Then  he  admonished  his  son :  "Henceforth  you  are  to  do  what- 
ever it  was  my  duty  to  do."  Having  so  said,  he  gave  his  son  to 
the  carpenters  and  himself  entered  the  forest.  From  that  time  on 
the  young  elephant  obeyed  the  commands  of  the  carpenters,  was 
patient  of  admonition,  performed  all  of  the  duties.  They  fed  him 
also  with  five  hundred  morsels  of  food.  After  doing  his  work,  he 
would  descend  into  the  river  and  play,  and  then  come  back.  And 
the  carpenters'  children  used  to  take  hold  of  him  by  the  trunk  and 
play  with  him,  both  in  the  water  and  on  dry  land. 

Now  noble  animals,  whether  elephants  or  horses  or  human 
beings,  never  dung  or  stale  in  the  water.  Therefore  he  also  did  not 
dung  or  stale  in  the  water,  but  attended  to  nature's  needs  out  of 


Par.  1.]  Grateful  Elephant  3 

the  water,  riglit  there  on  the  river-bank.  Now  one  day  the  god 
rained  up  the  river.  A  half-dry  cake  of  elephant-dung,  washed 
away  by  the  rain-water,  came  down  the  river  and  drifted  along 
until  it  stuck  and  lodged  in  a  clump  of  bushes  near  the  landing- 
place  of  the  city  of  Benares. 

Now  the  king's  elephant-keepers,  with  the  thought  in  their 
minds,  "We'll  let  the  elephants  bathe,"  led  five  hundred  elephants 
to  the  river-bank.  Smelling  the  odor  of  the  dung  of  a  noble  ele- 
phant, not  a  single  elephant  would  descend  into  the  river,  but  all 
whisked  up  their  tails  and  started  to  run  away.  The  elephant- 
keepers  told  the  elephant-trainers.  Thought  the  latter:  "There 
must  be  some  offensive  object  in  the  water."  So  they  had  the  water 
purified,  and  seeing  the  dung  of  a  noble  elephant  in  that  clump  of 
bushes,  and  knowing,  "That's  what's  the  trouble  there,"  they  had 
a  chatty  brought,  filled  with  water,  the  dung  dissolved  in  it,  and 
therewith  the  bodies  of  the  elephants  sprinkled.  Their  bodies 
became  sweet-scented.  Then  they  descended  into  the  river  and 
bathed. 

The  elephant-trainers  reported  that  incident  to  the  king,  re- 
marking: "That  noble  elephant  should  be  sought  out  and  brought 
to  you,  your  majesty."  The  king  made  haste  up  the  river  with 
boats  and  rafts ;  with  rafts  bound  up-stream  he  reached  the  place 
of  abode  of  the  carpenters.  The  young  elephant,  playing  in  the 
river,  on  hearing  the  sound  of  the  drum,  went  and  stood  by  the 
carpenters.  The  carpenters  went  forth  to  meet  the  king,  and  said: 
"Your  majesty,  if  you  have  need  of  timber,  why  did  you  yourself 
come.P  why  shouldn't  you  have  sent  men  to  get  it?"  "I  didn't  come 
for  timber,  I  assure  you,  but  I  came  for  this  elephant."  "Take 
him  and  go,  your  majesty." 

The  young  elephant  would  not  go.  "What,  pray,  will  you  have 
done,  elephant.'"'  "Have  the  carpenters  paid  for  my  keeping,  your 
majesty."  "Vei-y  well,  I  will,"  said  the  king.  He  had  a  hundred 
thousand  pieces  of  money  laid  near  each  of  the  elephant's  four 
feet,  near  his  trunk,  and  near  his  tail.  But  for  all  that  the  elephant 
would  not  go.  When,  however,  pairs  of  cloths  had  been  given  to 
all  of  the  carpenters,  when  under-garments  had  been  given  to  the 
carpenters'  wives,  and  when  the  proper  attentions  had  been  paid 
to   the   children  he   had   played  with,   then   the  elephant  turned 


4  Gratefulness  of  Animals  [Chap.  I. 

around,   and   eyeing   the   carpenters    and    their   wives    and   their 
children  as  he  went,  accompanied  the  king. 

The  king  took  the  elephant,  went  to  the  cit}',  and  caused  both 
city  and  elephant-stable  to  be  adorned.  He  caused  the  elephant  to 
make  rightwise  circuit  of  the  city  and  to  be  taken  into  the  ele- 
phant-stable. He  adorned  the  elephant  with  all  the  adornments, 
sprinkled  him,  made  him  his  riding-animal,  elevated  him  to  the 
dignity  of  a  friend,  gave  him  half  his  kingdom,  and  had  him 
treated  as  himself.  From  the  day  when  the  elephant  arrived,  the 
king  obtained  complete  mastery  over  all  the  Land  of  the  Rose- 
apple. 

As  time  thus  went  on,  the  Future  Buddha  received  a  new  con- 
ception in  the  womb  of  the  chief  consort  of  that  king.  When  her 
unborn  child  was  ripe  for  birth,  the  king  died.  Now  if  the  elephant 
had  known  that  the  king  was  dead,  it  would  have  broken  his  heart 
then  and  there.  So  they  said  not  a  word  to  the  elephant  about  the 
king's  death,  but  waited  on  him  just  as  if  nothing  had  happened. 
But  when  the  king  of  Kosala,  who  ruled  over  the  country  imme- 
diately adjoining,  heard  that  the  king  was  dead,  he  reflected:  "The 
kingdom,  they  say,  is  empty ;"  and  came  with  a  large  army  and 
surrounded  the  city.  The  citizens  closed  the  gates  of  the  city  and 
sent  the   following  message  to  the  king  of  Kosala:   "The   chief 
consort  of  our  king  is  about  to  give  birth  to  a  child.  The  sooth- 
sayers have  told  us:  'Seven  days  hence  she  will  give  birth  to  a 
son.'  If,  on  the  seventh  day,  she  gives  birth  to  a  son,  we  will  give 
battle, — not  the  kingdom.  Wait  that  long."  "Very  well,"  said  the 
king  in  assent.  On  the  seventh  day  the  queen  gave  birth  to  a  son. 
On  the  day  when  he  received  his  name,  because,  as  they  said,  "He 
is  born  extending  a  noble  heart  to  the  multitude,"  they  gave  him 
the  name  Noble-heart,  Alinacitta. 

Now  from  the  day  he  was  born,  the  citizens  fought  with  the 
king  of  Kosala.  But  because  they  had  no  man  to  lead  them  in 
battle,  the  force,  large  as  it  was,  gave  way  little  by  little  in  the 
conflict.  Ministers  reported  this  fact  to  the  queen,  saying:  "We 
fear  that  if  the  force  continues  thus  to  give  way,  we  shall  lose  the 
battle.  But  the  state  elephant,  the  king's  friend,  does  not  know 
that  the  king  is  dead,  that  his  son  is  born,  and  that  the  king  of 
Kosala  has  come  to  fight."  And  they  asked  her:  "Shall  we  let  him 


Par.  1.]  Grateful  Elephant  6 

know?"  "Yes,"  said  the  queen,  assenting.  She  adorned  the  boy, 
laid  him  in  a  head-coil  of  fine  cloth,  came  down  from  the  terrace, 
and  accompanied  by  a  retinue  of  ministers,  went  to  the  elephant- 
stable,  and  laid  the  Future  Buddha  at  the  feet  of  the  elephant. 
Said  she :  "Master,  your  friend  is  dead.  We  didn't  tell  you  because 
we  were  afraid  it  would  break  your  heart.  Here  is  the  son  of  your 
friend.  The  king  of  Kosala  has  come  and  has  surrounded  the  city 
and  is  fighting  with  your  son.  The  force  is  giving  way.  Do  you 
either  kill  your  son  or  get  and  give  him  the  kingdom." 

Then  the  elephant  with  his  trunk  caressed  the  Future  Buddha 
and  lifted  him  up  and  put  him  on  his  shoulders  and  cried  and  wept. 
Then  he  lowered  the  Future  Buddha  and  laid  him  in  the  arms  of 
the  queen,  and  with  the  words,  "I  will  capture  the  king  of  Kosala  !" 
went  out  of  the  elephant-stable.  Then  the  ministers  clad  him  with 
armor  and  adorned  him,  and  unlocking  the  city-gate,  went  out  in 
his  train. 

As  the  elephant  went  out  of  the  city,  he  trumpeted  the  Heron's 
Call,  making  the  multitude  tremble  and  quake,  and  frightening 
them  away.  He  broke  down  the  stockade,  seized  the  king  of  Kosala 
by  the  top-knot,  and  carried  him  and  laid  him  at  the  Future 
Buddha's  feet.  And  when  men  rose  to  kill  him,  he  would  not  let 
them,  but  set  the  king  free  with  the  admonition:  "Henceforth  be 
careful ;  do  not  presume  on  the  youth  of  the  prince." 

Thenceforth  the  Future  Buddha  had  complete  mastery  over  all 
the  Land  of  the  Rose-apple.  No  other  adversary  dared  to  stand 
up  against  him.  When  the  Future  Buddha  was  seven  years  old, 
he  received  the  ceremonial  sprinkling  and  became  known  as  King 
Noble-heart.  He  ruled  with  righteousness,  and  when  his  life  was 
come  to  an  end,  departed,  fulfilling  tlie  Path  to  Heaven. 

AVhen  the  Teacher  had  related  this  parable,  he  uttered,  as  Supreme 
Buddha,  the  following  pair  of  stanzas: 

Relying  on  Noble-lieart,  a  mighty  host,  delighted, 
Captured  Kosala  alive,  dissatisfied  with  his  army. 

So  also  the  monk  who  has  found  a  Reliance, 

Who  exerts  strenuous  effort. 

Who  cultivates  the  Exalted  States 

To  the  attainment  of  Nibbana, 

Shall,  in  due  course,  reach 

The  Destruction  of  all  Bonds. 


6  Gratefulness  of  Animals  [Chap.  I. 

2.  GRATEFUL  ANIMALS  AND  UNGRATEFUL  MAN 

Driftwood  is  worth  more  than  some  men. 

Jataka  73:1.322-327. 

True  is  this  saying  of  some  men  of  the  world.  This  parable  was  related 
by  the  Teacher  Avhile  he  was  in  residence  at  Veluvana  with  reference 
to  Devadatta's  going  about  for  the  purpose  of  killing  him.  For  while 
the  Congregation  of  Monks,  sitting  in  the  Hall  of  Truth,  were  dis- 
cussing Devadatta's  wickedness,  saying,  "Brethren,  Devadatta  knows 
not  the  Teacher's  virtues,  but  is  going  about  for  the  sole  purpose  of 
killing  him,"  the  Teacher  drew  near  and  asked:  "Monks,  wliat  is  the 
subject  that  engages  your  attention  now  as  you  sit  here  all  gathered 
together.?"  "Such-and-such,"  was  the  reply.  "Monks,"  said  the  Teacher, 
"not  only  in  his  present  state  of  existence  has  Devadatta  gone  about 
for  the  purpose  of  killing  me;  in  a  previous  state  of  existence  also  he 
went  about  for  the  purpose  of  killing  me  in  the  same  old  way."  Then, 
in  response  to  a  request  of  the  monks,  he  related  the  following  Story 
of  the  Past: 

Prince  Wicked. 

In  times  past  Brahmadatta  ruled  at  Benares.  He  had  a  son  named 
Prince  Wicked,  and  Prince  Wicked  was  as  tough  and  hard  as  a 
beaten  snake.  He  never  spoke  to  anybody  without  either  reviling 
him  or  striking  him.  The  result  was  that  both  by  indoor-folk  and 
by  outdoor-folk  he  was  disliked  and  detested  as  much  as  dust 
lodged  in  the  eye  or  as  a  demon  come  to  eat. 

One  day,  desiring  to  sport  in  the  water,  he  went  to  the  river- 
bank  with  a  large  retinue.  At  that  moment  a  great  cloud  arose. 
The  directions  became  dark.  He  said  to  his  slaves  and  servants: 
"Come,  fellows !  take  me  and  conduct  me  to  mid-stream  and  bathe 
me  and  bring  me  back."  They  led  him  there  and  took  counsel 
together,  saying:  "What  can  the  king  do  to  us!  Let's  kill  this 
wicked  fellow  right  here!"  So  they  said  to  him:  "Here  you  go, 
bird  of  evil  omen !"  So  saying,  they  plunged  him  into  the  water, 
made  their  way  out  of  the  water  again,  and  stood  on  the  bank. 

As  the  courtiers  returned  to  the  king,  they  reflected:  "In  case 
we  are  asked,  'Where  is  the  prince.?'  we  will  sa}',  'We  have  not 
seen  the  prince;  it  must  be  that  upon  seeing  a  cloud  arise  he 
plunged  into  the  water  and  went  on  ahead  of  us.'  "  The  king 
asked:  "Where  is  my  son.?"  "We  do  not  know,  your  majesty.  A 
cloud   arose.   We   returned,   supposing:   'He  must   have   gone   on 


Par.  2.]  Grateful  Animals  7 

ahead  of  us.'  "  The  king  caused  the  gates  to  be  flung  open,  went 
to  the  river-bank,  and  caused  them  to  search  here  an.d  there. 
"Search !"  said  he.  Nobody  saw  the  prince. 

As  a  matter  of  fact,  in  the  darkness  caused  by  the  cloud,  while 
the  god  was  raining,  the  prince,  swept  along  by  the  river,  seeing 
a  certain  tree-trunk,  clambered  on  it,  and  sitting  astride  of  it, 
traveled  along,  terrified  with  the  fear  of  death,  lamenting. 

Snake,  rat,  parrot,  and  man. 

Now  at  that  time  a  resident  of  Benares,  a  certain  treasurer, 
who  had  buried  forty  crores  of  wealth  by  the  river-bank,  by 
reason  of  his  craving  for  that  wealth,  had  been  reborn  on  top  of 
that  wealth  as  a  snake.  Yet  another  had  buried  thirty  crores  of 
wealth  in  that  very  spot,  and  by  reason  of  his  craving  for  that 
wealth,  had  been  reborn  on  the  spot  as  a  rat.  The  water  entered 
their  place  of  abode.  They  went  out  by  the  very  path  by  which 
the  water  came  in,  cleft  the  stream,  and  went  until  they  reached 
the  tree-trunk  bestridden  by  the  royal  prince.  Thereupon  one 
climbed  up  on  one  end,  the  other  on  the  other,  and  both  lay  down 
right  there  on  top  of  the  tree-trunk. 

Moreover,  on  the  bank  of  that  very  river  there  was  a  certain 
silk-cotton  tree,  and  in  it  lived  a  certain  young  parrot.  That  tree 
also,  its  roots  washed  by  the  water,  fell  on  top  of  the  river.  The 
young  parrot,  unable  to  make  headway  by  flying  while  the  god 
was  raining,  went  and  perched  on  one  side  of  that  very  tree-trunk. 
Thus  did  those  four  persons  travel  together,  swept  along  by  the 
river. 

The  Future  Buddha  befriends  animals  and  man. 

Now  at  that  time  the  Future  Buddha  was  reborn  in  the  king- 
dom of  Kasi  in  the  household  of  a  Brahman  of  high  station.  When 
he  reached  manhood,  he  retired  from  the  world  and  adopted  the 
life  of  an  ascetic,  and  building  a  leaf-hut  at  a  certain  bend  in  the 
river,  took  up  his  abode  there.  At  midnight,  as  he  was  walking  up 
and  down,  he  heard  the  sound  of  the  profound  lamentation  of  that 
royal  prince.  Thought  he :  "It  is  not  fitting  that  that  man  should 
die  in  sight  of  an  ascetic  like  me,  endowed  with  friendliness  and 
compassion.  I  will  pull  him  out  of  the  water  and  grant  him  the 


8  Gratefulness  of  Animals  [Chap.  I. 

boon  of  life."  He  calmed  the  man's  fears  with  the  words,  "Fear 
not !  fear  not !"  Then,  cleaving  the  stream  of  water,  he  went  and 
laid  hold  of  that  tree-trunk  by  one  end,  and  pulled  it.  Powerful 
as  an  elephant,  endowed  with  mighty  strength,  with  a  single  pull 
he  reached  the  bank,  and  lifting  the  prince  in  his  arms,  set  him 
ashore. 

Seeing  the  snake,  the  rat,  and  the  parrot,  he  picked  them  up 
also,  carried  them  to  his  hermitage,  and  lighted  a  fire.  "The 
animals  are  weaker,"  thought  he.  So  first  he  warmed  the  bodies 
of  the  animals ;  then  afterwards  he  warmed  the  body  of  the  roj^al 
prince  and  made  him  well  too.  When  he  brought  food  also,  he 
first  gave  it  to  those  same  animals,  and  afterwards  offered  fruits 
and  other  edibles  to  the  prince.  Thought  the  royal  prince:  "This 
false  ascetic  does  not  take  it  into  his  reckoning  that  I  am  a  royal 
prince,  but  does  honor  to  animals."  And  he  conceived  a  ginidge 
against  the  Future  Buddha. 

A  few  days  after  that,  when  all  four  had  recovered  their 
strength  and  vigor  and  the  river-freshet  had  ceased,  the  snake 
bowed  to  the  ascetic  and  said :  "Reverend  Sir,  it  is  a  great  service 
you  have  done  me.  Now  I  am  no  pauper.  In  such-and-such  a  place 
I  have  buried  forty  crores  of  gold.  If  you  have  need  of  money,  I 
can  give  you  all  that  money.  Come  to  that  place  and  call  me  out, 
saying :  'Longfellow !'  "  So  saying,  he  departed.  Likewise  also  the 
rat  addressed  the  ascetic :  "Stand  in  such-and-such  a  place  and 
call  me  out,  saying:  'Rat!'  "  So  saying,  he  departed. 

But  when  the  parrot  bowed  to  the  ascetic,  he  said :  "Reverend 
Sir,  I  have  no  money ;  but  if  you  have  need  of  ruddy  rice, — such- 
and-such  is  my  place  of  abode, — go  there  and  call  me  out,  saying: 
'Parrot !'  I'll  tell  my  kinsfolk,  have  them  fetch  ruddy  rice  by  the 
cart-load,  and  give  it  to  you.  That's  what  I  can  do !"  So  saying, 
ho  departed. 

But  that  other,  the  man,  because  it  was  his  custom  to  betray  his 
friends,  said  not  so  much  as  a  word  according  to  custom.  Thought 
he:  "If  you  come  to  me,  I'll  kill  you!"  But  he  said:  "Reverend 
Sir,  when  I  am  established  in  my  kingdom,  be  good  enough  to 
come  and  see  me;  I'll  furnish  you  with  the  Four  Requisites."  So 
saying,  he  departed.  And  in  no  very  long  time  after  he  had  gone, 
he  was  establislicd  in  his  kingdom. 


Par.  2.]  Grateful  Animals  9 

Gratefulness  of  animals. 

Thought  the  Future  Buddha:  "I'll  just  put  them  to  the  test!" 
First  he  went  to  the  snake,  and  standing  not  far  off,  called  him 
out,  saying :  "Longfellow !"  At  the  mere  word  the  snake  came  out, 
bowed  to  the  Future  Buddha,  and  said:  "Reverend  Sir,  in  this 
place  are  forty  crores  of  gold ;  carry  them  all  out  and  take  them 
with  you !"  Said  the  Future  Buddha :  "Let  be  as  it  is ;  if  occasion 
arises,  I'll  think  about  it."  So  saying,  he  let  the  snake  go  back. 

Then  he  went  to  the  rat  and  made  a  noise.  The  rat  also  behaved 
just  as  had  the  snake.  The  Future  Buddha  let  him  also  go  back. 
Then  he  went  to  the  parrot  and  called  him  out,  saying:  "Parrot !" 
The  parrot  also,  at  the  mere  word,  came  down  from  the  top  of  the 
tree,  and  bowing  to  the  Future  Buddha,  asked :  "Tell  me,  Reverend 
Sir,  shall  I  speak  to  my  kinsfolk  and  have  them  fetch  you  self- 
sown  rice  from  the  region  of  Himavat.?"  Said  the  Future  Buddha: 
"If  I  have  need,  I'll  think  about  it,"  So  saying,  he  let  the  parrot 
also  go  back. 

Ungratefulness  of  man. 

"Now,"  thought  the  Future  Buddha,  "I'll  test  the  king!"  He 
went  and  passed  the  night  in  the  king's  garden,  and  on  the  fol- 
lowing day,  having  put  on  beautiful  garments,  entered  the  city  on 
his  round  for  alms.  At  that  moment  that  king,  that  betrayer  of 
friends,  seated  on  the  back  of  his  gloriously  adorned  state  ele- 
phant, accompanied  by  a  large  retinue,  was  making  a  rightwise 
circuit  of  the  city.  Seeing  the  Future  Buddha  even  from  afar, 
he  thought:  "Here's  that  false  ascetic,  come  to  live  with  me  and 
eat  his  fill!  That  he  may  not  make  known  in  the  midst  of  this 
company  the  service  he  has  rendered  me,  I'll  straightway  have  his 
head  cut  off!" 

He  looked  at  his  men.  Said  they:  "What  shall  we  do,  your 
majesty.?"  Said  the  king:  "Here's  a  false  ascetic,  come  to  ask  me 
for  something  or  other,  I  suppose.  Without  so  much  as  giving  that 
false  ascetic,  that  bird  of  evil  omen,  a  chance  to  look  at  me,  take 
that  fellow,  bind  his  arms  behind  his  back,  conduct  him  out  of 
the  city,  beating  him  at  every  cross-roads,  cut  off  his  head  in  the 
place  of  execution,  and  impale  his  body  on  a  stake !"  "Very  well," 
said  the  king's  men  in  assent.  They  bound  the  Great  Being,  guilt- 
less as  he  was,  and  started  to  conduct  him  to  the  place  of  execu- 


10  Ungratefulness  of  Man  [Chap.  I. 

tion,  beating  him  at  every  cross-roads.  The  Future  Buddha, 
wherever  tlie}'  beat  him,  uttered  no  lament,  "Women !  men !"  but 
unperturbed,  uttered  the  folloAving  stanza : 

True  is  this  saying  of  some  men  of  the  world: 
"Driftwood  is  worth  more  than  some  men!" 

{^Native  gloss:  A  stick  of  wood  washed  up  on  dry  land  is  of  some 
use:  it  will  cook  food;  it  will  warm  those  who  are  shivering  with  the 
cold;  it  will  remove  dangerous  objects.  But  an  ingrate  is  worse  than 
useless.] 

Thus,  wherever  they  beat  him,  did  he  utter  this  stanza.  Hearing 
this,  wise  men  who  stood  by  said :  "But,  monk,  what  is  the  trouble 
between  you  and  our  king?  have  you  done  him  some  good  turn?" 
Then  the  Future  Buddha  told  them  the  whole  story,  sajdng:  "I 
alone,  by  pulling  this  man  out  of  a  mighty  flood,  have  brought 
suffering  upon  myself.  I  speak  as  I  do  because  I  keep  thinking: 
'Alas !  I  have  not  heeded  the  words  of  wise  men  of  old !'  " 

Hearing  this,  Warriors  and  Brahmans  and  others,  residents  of 
the  city,  became  enraged.  Said  they :  "This  king  here,  this  be- 
trayer of  friends,  has  not  the  slightest  conception  of  the  virtues 
of  this  embodiment  of  the  virtues,  this  man  who  has  granted  him 
the  boon  of  his  own  life !  What  have  we  to  gain  through  him !  Cap- 
ture him !"  And  rising  in  all  quarters,  they  slew  him,  even  as  he 
sat  on  the  back  of  the  elephant,  by  hitting  him  with  arrows  and 
spears  and  rocks  and  clubs.  And  laying  hold  of  his  feet,  they 
dragged  him  and  threw  him  back  of  the  moat.  And  conferring  the 
ceremonial  sprinkling  on  the  Future  Buddha,  they  established 
him  in  the  kingdom.  The  Future  Buddha  ruled  righteously. 

Again  one  day,  desiring  to  test  the  snake,  the  rat,  and  the 
parrot,  he  went  with  a  large  retinue  to  the  place  of  abode  of  the 
snake  and  called  him  out,  saying :  "Longfellow !"  The  snake  came, 
bowed  to  him,  and  said:  "Here's  your  money,  master;  take  it." 
The  king  entrusted  to  his  ministers  wealth  amounting  to  forty 
crores  of  gold.  Then  he  went  to  the  rat  and  called  him  out,  saying: 
"Rat !"  The  rat  also  came,  and  with  a  bow  handed  over  to  liim 
wealth  amounting  to  thirty  crores.  The  king  entrusted  that  also 
to  his  ministers.  Then  he  went  to  the  place  of  abode  of  the  parrot 
and  called  him  out,  saying:  "Parrot!"  The  parrot  also  came,  and 
reverencing  his  feet,  said:  "Master,  shall  I  fetch  rice?"  Said  the 


Par.  3.]  Elephant  and  Forester  11 

king :  "When  there  is  need  of  rice,  you  may  fetch  it ;  come,  let's 

go." 

With  the  seventy  crores  of  gold,  causing  those  three  animals 
also  to  be  carried  along,  he  went  to  the  city.  And  ascending  to  the 
grand  floor  of  his  magnificent  palace,  he  caused  that  wealth  to  be 
stored  and  guarded.  For  the  snake  to  live  in,  he  caused  a  golden 
tube  to  be  made;  for  the  rat,  a  crystal  cave;  for  the  parrot,  a 
golden  cage.  For  the  snake  and  the  parrot  to  eat,  he  caused  every 
day  sweet  parched  grain  to  be  given  in  a  vessel  of  gold  purified 
with  fire;  for  the  rat,  grains  of  perfumed  rice;  he  gave  alms  and 
performed  the  other  works  of  merit.  Thus  those  four  persons,  one 
and  all,  dwelt  together  in  unity  and  concord  all  their  days,  and 
when  their  days  were  come  to  an  end,  passed  away  according  to 
their  deeds. 

Said  the  Teacher:  "Monks,  not  only  in  his  present  state  of  existence 
has  Devadatta  gone  about  for  the  purpose  of  killing  me ;  in  a  previous 
state  of  existence  also  he  went  about  for  the  purpose  of  killing  me  in 
the  same  old  way."  Having  related  this  parable,  he  joined  the  connec- 
tion and  identified  the  personages  in  the  Birth-story  as  follows:  "At 
that  time  King  Wicked  was  Devadatta,  the  snake  was  Sariputta,  the 
rat  was  Moggallana,  the  parrot  was  Ananda,  but  he  that  gained  a 
kingdom  and  became  a  King  of  Righteousness  was  I  myself." 


3.  ELEPHANT  AND  UNGRATEFUL  FORESTER 

The  whole  earth  will  not  satisfy  an  ungrateful  man. 

Jataka  72:1.  319-322. 

To  an  ungrateful  man.  This  parable  was  related  by  the  Teacher  while 
he  was  in  residence  at  Veluvana  with  reference  to  Devadatta.  The 
monks,  seated  in  the  Hall  of  Truth,  were  saying:  "Brethren,  Deva- 
datta the  ungrateful  knows  not  the  virtues  of  the  Tathagata."  The 
Teacher  drew  near  and  asked:  "Monks,  what  is  the  subject  that 
engages  your  attention  now,  as  you  sit  here  all  gathered  together?" 
"Such-and-such,"  was  the  reply.  "Monks,"  said  the  Teacher,  "not  only 
in  his  present  state  of  existence  has  Devadatta  proved  ungrateful;  in 
a  previous  state  of  existence  also  he  was  ungrateful  just  the  same. 
At  no  time  soever  has  he  known  my  virtues."  Then,  in  response  to  a 
request   of  the  monks,  he   related  the    following  Story   of  the    Past: 

In  times  past,  when  Brahmadatta  ruled  at  Benares,  the  Future 
Buddha  received  a  new  conception  in  the  region  of  Himavat  in 


12  Ungratefulness  of  Man  [Chap.  I. 

the  womb  of  an  elepliant.  When  he  came  forth  from  his  mother's 
womb,  he  was  pure  white,  like  a  mass  of  silver;  moreover  his  e3'es 
were  like  globules  of  jewels,  and  from  them  shone  forth  the  Five 
Brightnesses;  his  mouth  was  like  a  crimson  blanket;  his  trunk 
was  like  a  rope  of  silver,  ornamented  with  spots  of  ruddy  gold; 
his  four  feet  were  as  if  rubbed  with  lac.  Thus  his  person,  adorned 
with  the  Ten  Perfections,  attained  the  pinnacle  of  beauty. 

Now  when  he  reached  the  age  of  reason,  elephants  from  all  over 
Himavat  assembled  and  formed  his  retinue.  Thus  did  he  make 
his  home  in  the  region  of  Himavat,  with  a  retinue  of  eighty  thou- 
sand elephants.  After  a  time,  perceiving  that  there  was  contamina- 
tion in  the  herd,  he  isolated  himself  from  the  herd  and  made  his 
home  quite  alone  in  the  forest.  Moreover,  by  reason  of  his  good- 
ness, he  became  known  as  Good  King  Elephant. 

Now  a  certain  resident  of  Benares,  a  forester,  entered  the 
forest,  seeking  wares  whereby  to  make  his  living.  Unable  to  dis- 
tinguish the  directions,  he  lost  his  way,  and  terrified  with  the  fear 
of  death,  went  about  with  outstretched  arms  lamenting.  The 
Future  Buddha,  hearing  those  profound  lamentations  of  his, 
thought :  "I  will  free  this  man  from  his  suffering."  And  impelled 
by  compassion,  he  went  to  him. 

The  instant  that  man  saw  the  Future  Buddha,  he  fled  in  fright. 
The  Future  Buddha,  seeing  him  in  flight,  halted  right  where  he 
was.  The  man,  seeing  that  the  Future  Buddha  had  halted,  himself 
halted.  The  Future  Buddha  came  back.  The  man  fled  a  second 
time,  but  halting  when  the  Future  Buddha  halted,  thought :  "This 
elephant  halts  when  I  flee,  and  approaches  when  I  halt.  He  has  no 
desire  to  do  me  harm,  but  without  a  doubt  desires  only  to  free 
me  from  this  suff'cring."  And  summoning  up  his  courage,  he  halted. 

The  Future  Buddha  approached  him  and  asked :  "Why,  IMaster 
man,  do  3^ou  go  about  lamenting.'"'  "Master,  because  I  couldn't 
distinguish  the  directions,  lost  my  way,  and  was  afraid  of  death." 
Then  the  Future  Buddha  conducted  him  to  his  own  place  of  abode, 
and  for  a  few  days  gladdened  him  with  fruits  and  other  edibles. 
Then  said  the  Future  Buddha :  "Master  man,  don't  be  afraid ; 
I'll  conduct  you  to  the  path  of  man."  And  seating  him  on  his  back, 
he  proceeded  to  the  path  of  men. 

But  that  man,  that  betrayer  of  friends,  even  as  he  sat  on  the 


Par.  3.]  Elephant  and  Forester  13 

back  of  the  Future  Buddha,  thought :  "If  anybody  asks  me,  I 
must  be  able  to  tell  him  where  this  elephant  lives."  So  as  he  went 
along,  he  noted  carefully  the  landmarks  of  tree  and  mountain. 
Now  the  Future  Buddha,  having  conducted  that  man  out  of  the 
forest,  set  him  down  on  the  highway  leading  to  Benares,  and  said 
to  him:  "Master  man,  go  by  this  road;  but  as  for  my  place  of 
abode,  whether  you  are  asked  or  not,  say  nothing  to  anybody 
about  it."  So  saying,  he  took  leave  of  him  and  went  back  to  his 
own  place  of  abode. 

Now  that  man  went  to  Benares,  and  in  the  course  of  his  walks 
came  to  the  street  of  the  ivory-carvers.  And  seeing  the  ivory- 
carvers  making  various  kinds  of  ivory  products,  he  asked :  "But, 
sirs,  how  much  would  you  make  if  you  could  get  the  tusk  of  a  real 
live  elephant.''"  "What  are  you  saying,  sir!  The  tusk  of  a  live 
elephant  is  far  more  valuable  than  the  tusk  of  a  dead  elephant." 
"Very  well !  I'll  fetch  you  the  tusk  of  a  live  elephant."  Accord- 
ingly, obtaining  provisions  for  the  journey  and  taking  a  sharp 
saw,  he  went  to  the  place  of  abode  of  the  Future  Buddha. 

When  the  Future  Buddha  saw  him,  he  asked:  "For  what  pur- 
pose have  you  come.''"  "I,  sir,  am  a  poor  man,  a  pauper,  unable 
to  make  a  living.  I  came  with  this  thought  in  my  mind :  'I  will  ask 
you  for  a  fragment  of  one  of  your  tusks ;  if  you  will  give  it  to  me, 
I  will  take  it  and  go  and  sell  it  and  with  the  money  it  brings  make 
a  living.'  "  "Let  be,  sir !  I'll  give  you  tusks,  if  you  have  a  sharp 
saw  to  cut  them  off  with."  "I  brought  a  saw  with  me,  sir."  "Very 
well,  sever  the  tusks  with  your  saw  and  take  them  and  go  your 
way."  So  saying,  the  Future  Buddha  bowed  his  knees  together 
and  sat  down  like  a  cow.  The  man  actually  cut  off  his  two  prin- 
cipal tusks ! 

The  Future  Buddha,  taking  those  tusks  in  his  trunk,  said: 
"Master  man,  not  with  the  thought,  'These  tusks  are  not  dear  to 
me,  not  pleasing  to  me,'  do  I  give  you  these  tusks.  But  dearer  to 
me  than  these  a  thousand  times, — a  hundred  thousand  times, — 
are  the  Tusks  of  Omniscience,  which  avail  to  the  comprehension  of 
all  things.  May  this  gift  of  tusks  which  I  here  bestow  enable  me 
to  attain  Omniscience !"  So  saying,  as  it  were  sowing  the  Seed  of 
Omniscience,  he  gave  him  the  pair  of  tusks. 

The  man  took  them  and  went  and  sold  them.  When  the  money 


14  Ungratefulness  of  Man  [Chap.  I. 

they  brought  was  gone,  he  went  to  the  Future  Buddha  again  and 
said:  "Master,  the  money  I  got  by  selling  your  tusks  turned  out 
to  be  no  more  than  enough  to  pay  off  my  debts.  Give  me  the  rest 
of  your  tusks !"  "Very  well,"  said  the  Future  Buddha,  consenting. 
And  ordering  all  things  precisely  as  before,  he  gave  him  the  rest 
of  his  tusks. 

Those  also  did  that  man  sell,  and  then  came  back  again. 
"Master,"  said  he,  "I  cannot  make  a  living.  Give  me  the  stumps  of 
your  tusks !"  "Very  well,"  said  the  Future  Buddha,  and  sat  down 
precisely  as  before.  That  wicked  man  trod  on  the  Great  Being's 
ti-unk, — that  trunk  which  was  like  unto  a  rope  of  silver;  climbed 
up  on  the  Great  Being's  temples, — those  temples  which  were  like 
unto  the  snow-clad  peaks  of  Kelasa,  with  his  heel  kicking  the  tips 
of  the  tusks  and  loosening  the  flesh;  and  having  mounted  the 
temples,  with  a  sharp  saw  severed  the  stumps  of  the  tusks,  and 
went  his  way. 

But  even  as  that  wicked  man  receded  from  the  vision  of  the 
Future  Buddha,  the  solid  earth,  which  extends  for  a  distance  of 
two  hundred  thousand  leagues  and  four  Inconceivables  more, 
which  is  able  to  endure  such  mighty  burdens  as  Sineru  and 
Yugandhara,  such  foul-smelling  and  repulsive  objects  as  dung 
and  urine, — even  the  solid  earth,  as  if  unable  to  endure  the  wicked- 
ness he  had  piled  upon  it,  burst  asunder  and  yawned.  Instantly 
from  the  Great  Waveless  Hell  flames  of  fire  shot  forth,  enveloped 
that  man,  that  betrayer  of  friends,  wrapping  him,  as  it  were,  in 
a  blanket  proper  for  death  and  laid  hold  of  him. 

When  that  wicked  man  thus  entered  the  earth,  the  tree-spirit 
resident  in  that  forest-grove  thought :  "An  ungrateful  man,  a 
man  who  will  betray  his  friends,  cannot  be  satisfied,  even  if  he  be 
given  the  kingdom  of  a  Universal  Monarch."  And  making  the 
forest  ring,  proclaiming  the  Truth,  the  tree-spirit  uttered  the 
following  stanza: 

To  an  ungrateful  man 
Ever   looking   for   an    opening 
You  may  give  the  whole  earth 
And  yet  not  satisfy  liim. 

Thus  did  that  tree-spirit,  making  the  forest  ring,  proclaim  the 
Truth.  The  Future  Buddha,  having  remained  on  earth  during  the 
term  of  life  allotted  to  him,  passed  away  according  to  his  deeds. 


Par.  3.]  Elephant  and  Forester  15 

Said  the  Teacher:  "Monks,  not  only  m  his  present  state  of  existence 
has  Devadatta  proved  ungrateful ;  in  a  previous  state  of  existence  also 
he  was  ungrateful  just  the  same."  Having  completed  the  parable,  he 
identified  the  personages  in  the  Birth-story  as  follows:  "At  that  time 
the  man  who  betrayed  his  friend  was  Devadatta,  the  tree-spirit  was 
Sariputta^  but  Good  King  Elephant  was  I  myself." 


CHAPTER  II 

PARABLES  FROM  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  BUDDHA'S  PRE- 
VIOUS EXISTENCES  AND  FROM  THE  BOOK  OF 
DISCIPLINE,  ON  UNITY  AND  DISCORD 

4.  QUAIL,  CROW,  FLY,  FROG,  AND  ELEPHANTS 

The  biter  bit. 
Jataka  357  :iii.  174-177. 

Hearing  that  the  monks  of  Kosambi  were  quarreling,  the  Exalted  One 
went  to  them  and  said:  "Enough,  monks !  No  quarreling!  No  brawling! 
No  contending!  No  wrangling!"  Then  he  said:  "Monks,  quarrels, 
brawls,  contentions,  wrangles, — all  these  are  unprofitable.  For  because 
of  a  quarrel  even  a  tiny  quail  brought  about  the  destruction  of  a  noble 
elephant." 

In  times  past,  when  Brahmadatta  ruled  at  Benares,  the  Future 
Buddha  was  reborn  as  an  elephant.  He  grew  up  to  be  a  fine  big 
animal,  acquired  a  retinue  of  eighty  thousand  elephants,  and 
becoming  the  leader  of  a  herd,  made  his  home  in  the  Himalaya 
region.  At  that  time  a  tiny  female  quail  laid  her  eggs  in  the  ele- 
phants' stamping-ground.  When  the  eggs  were  hatched,  the 
fledglings  broke  the  shells  and  came  out.  Before  their  wings  had 
grown  and  while  they  were  yet  unable  to  fly,  the  Great  Being  came 
to  that  spot  with  his  retinue  of  eighty  thousand  elephants  in 
search  of  food. 

When  the  tiny  quail  saw  him,  she  thought :  "This  elephant-king 
will  crush  my  fledglings  and  kill  them.  Well,  I  will  ask  of  him 
righteous  protection  for  the  defense  of  my  little  ones."  So  folding 
her  wings  and  standing  before  him,  she  uttered  the  first  stanza : 

I  salute  you,  elephant  of  sixty  years, 
Forest-ranger,  glorious  leader  of  a  herd ; 
With  my  wings  I  do  you  homage. 
I  am  weak:  do  not  kill  mv  little  ones. 


Par.  4.]  Quail  and  Elephants  17 

Said  the  Great  Being :  "Do  not  worry,  tiny  quail ;  I  will  protect 
your  little  ones."  And  he  stood  over  the  fledglings,  and  the  eighty 
thousand  elephants  passed  by.  Then  he  addressed  the  tiny  quail: 
"Behind  us  comes  a  single  solitary  elephant ;  he  will  not  obey  our 
command.  If  you  ask  him  also  when  he  comes,  you  may  obtain 
safety  for  your  little  ones."  So  saying,  he  went  his  way. 

The  tiny  quail  went  forth  to  meet  the  solitary  elephant,  did 
homage  to  him  with  her  wings,  and  uttered  the  second  stanza : 

I  salute  you,  solitary  elephant^ 

Forest-ranger,  pasturing  on  mountain  and  on  hillj 

With  my  wings  I  do  you  homage. 

I  am  weak :  do  not  kill  my  little  ones. 

The  solitary  elephant,  hearing  her  words,  uttered  the  third 
stanza: 

I  will  kill  your  little  ones,  tiny  quail. 
What  can  you  do  to  me?  You  are  a  weakling. 
Even  a  hundred  thousand  like  you 
Could  I  crush  with  my  left  foot. 

And  so  saying,  he  pulverized  her  little  ones  with  his  foot,  washed 
them  away  with  a  torrent  of  urine,  and  went  his  way  trumpeting. 
The  tiny  quail  perched  on  the  branch  of  a  tree  and  thought :  "Just 
now  you  go  your  way  trumpeting.  In  only  a  few  days  you  will 
see  what  I  can  do !  You  do  not  understand  that  the  mind  is 
stronger  than  the  body.  Ah,  but  I  will  make  you  understand !"  And 
threatening  him,  she  uttered  the  fourth  stanza : 

For  not  alway  does  strength  avail ; 

For  strength  is  the  destruction  of  a  fool. 

Elephant-king,  I  will  do  you  harm, 

You  who  killed  my  little  ones  since  I  was  weak. 

Thus  spoke  the  tiny  quail.  For  a  few  days  she  ministered  to  a 
crow.  The  crow  was  pleased  and  said:  "What  can  I  do  for  you.''" 
Said  the  tiny  quail :  "Master,  there  is  only  one  thing  I  want  done. 
I  expect  you  to  peck  out  the  eyes  of  that  solitary  elephant."  "Very 
well,"  assented  the  crow.  The  tiny  quail  then  ministered  to  a  green 
fly.  The  fly  also  said:  "What  can  I  do  for  you.?"  Said  the  tiny 
quail:  "When  this  crow  has  put  out  the  eyes  of  the  solitary  ele- 
phant, I  wish  you  would  drop  a  nit  on  them."  "Very  well,"  assented 
the  fly  also.  The  tiny  quail  then  ministered  to  a  frog.  Said  the 
frog:  "What  can  I  do.?"  Said  the  tiny  quail:  "When  this  solitary 


18  In  Union  Is  Strength  [Chap.  II. 

elephant  has  gone  blind  and  seeks  water  to  drink,  then  please 
squat  on  the  mountain-top  and  croak ;  and  when  he  has  climbed  to 
the  top  of  the  mountain,  then  please  hop  down  and  croak  at  the 
bottom.  This  is  all  I  expect  of  you."  The  frog  also,  hearing  her 
words,  assented,  saying,  "Very  well." 

Now  one  day  the  crow  pecked  out  both  of  the  elephant's  eyes, 
and  the  fly  let  a  nit  drop  on  them.  The  elephant,  eaten  up  by 
maggots,  maddened  with  pain,  overcome  with  thirst,  wandered 
about  seeking  water  to  drink.  At  that  moment  the  frog,  squatting 
on  the  mountain-top,  let  out  a  croak.  The  elephant  thought: 
"There  must  be  water  there ;"  and  climbed  the  mountain.  Then  the 
frog  hopped  down,  and  squatting  at  the  bottom,  let  out  a  croak. 
The  elephant  thought :  "There  must  be  water  there."  And  going 
to  the  brink  of  the  precipice,  he  tumbled  and  fell  to  the  foot  of 
the  mountain,  and  met  destruction. 

When  the  tiny  quail  realized  that  he  was  dead,  she  cried  out: 
"I  have  seen  the  back  of  my  enemy !"  And  pleased  and  delighted, 
she  strutted  over  his  shoulders,  and  passed  away  according  to 
her  deeds. 

Behold  the  quail,  the  croW;,  the  fly,  the  frog! 

They  slew  the  elephant !  Behold  the  hatred  of  the  haters ! 


5.  QUAILS  AND  FOWLER 

In  union  there  is  strength. 
Jataka  33:1.208-210. 

Then  said  the  Exalted  One  to  those  monks:  "Monks,  be  united;  do  not 
wrangle.  For  because  of  a  wrangle  many  thousand  quails  lost  their 
lives." 

In  times  past,  when  Brahmadatta  ruled  at  Benares,  the  Future 
Buddha  was  reborn  as  a  quail,  and  lived  in  the  forest  with  a  retinue 
of  many  thousand  quails.  At  that  time  a  certain  quail-hunter  used 
to  go  to  the  haunt  of  the  quails  and  attract  them  by  imitating  a 
quail's  whistle.  When  he  perceived  that  they  had  assembled,  he 
would  throw  a  net  over  them  and  huddle  them  all  together  by 
trampling  the  edges.  Then  he  would  fill  his  basket,  go  home,  and 
sell  them.  Thus  he  made  his  living. 

Now  one  day  the  Future  Buddha  said  to  those  quails :  "This 


Par.  5.]  Quails  and  Fowler  19 

fowler  is  bringing  our  kinsfolk  to  destruction.  I  know  a  way  by 
which  he  shall  not  be  able  to  catch  us.  From  this  time  on,  the 
moment  he  throws  the  net  over  you,  let  each  quail  stick  his  head 
through  a  single  mesh,  lift  the  net,  and  carrying  it  wherever  you 
will,  let  it  down  on  some  thorn-brake.  This  done,  we  can  escape 
each  through  his  own  mesh."  They  all  assented,  saying,  "Very 
well!" 

When  the  net  was  thrown  over  them  on  the  following  day,  they 
raised  the  net  precisely  as  the  Future  Buddha  had  told  them 
to,  dropped  it  on  a  certain  thorn-brake,  and  themselves  escaped 
from  under.  Twilight  came  on  with  the  fowler  still  busy  disen- 
tangling the  net  from  the  brake,  and  he  went  away  absolutely 
empty-handed.  On  the  next  day,  and  thereafter  also,  the  quails 
did  the  very  same  thing.  The  fowler  also,  busy  every  moment  until 
sunset  disentangling  the  net,  got  nothing,  and  went  home  abso- 
lutely empty-handed. 

Now  his  wife  got  angry  and  said:  "Day  after  day  you  return 
empty-handed ;  I  suppose  there  is  some  other  household  outside  you 
have  to  provide  for  too."  Said  the  fowler:  "My  dear,  there  is  no 
other  household  I  have  to  provide  for.  The  fact  is,  these  quails 
are  acting  in  unison.  The  moment  I  throw  the  net,  they  depart 
with  it  and  drop  it  on  a  thorn-brake.  But  they  will  not  live  in 
unity  forever.  Do  not  worry.  When  they  fall  to  wrangling,  I  will 
return  with  them  all  and  bring  a  smile  to  your  lips."  And  he 
recited  the  following  stanza  to  his  wife : 

United,  the  birds  go  away  with  the  net; 

But  when  they  fall  out,  they'll  come  into  my  power. 

Now  after  only  a  few  days  had  passed,  one  quail,  lighting  on 
the  feeding-ground,  accidentally  trod  on  the  head  of  another. 
The  other  was  offended  and  said:  "Who  trod  on  my  head.-'"  "I 
did,  but  accidentally ;  do  not  be  offended."  But  the  other  was 
offended  just  the  same.  They  bandied  words  and  wrangled  with 
each  other,  saying,  "You  alone,  I  suppose,  lift  the  net !" 

While  they  wrangled,  the  Future  Buddha  thought:  "There  is 
no  safety  for  a  wrangler.  From  this  moment  they  will  not  lift  the 
net.  Then  they  will  come  to  a  sorry  end.  The  fowler  will  get  his 
chance.  It  is  impossible  for  me  to  live  in  this  place."  And  he  went 
elsewhere  with  his  own  retinue. 


20  Love  Your  Enemies  [Chap.  II. 

As  for  the  fowler,  he  came  back  after  a  few  days,  imitated  a 
quail's  whistle,  and  when  the  quails  had  assembled,  threw  the  net 
over  them.  Then  said  one  quail:  "They  say  that  in  the  very  act 
of  lifting  the  net,  you  lost  the  down  on  your  head.  Now  lift !"  Said 
another:  "They  say  that  in  the  very  act  of  lifting  the  net,  you 
lost  your  wing-feathers.  Now  lift !" 

Even  as  they  said :  "You  lift !"  "You  lift !"  the  fowler  tossed 
the  net.  And  huddling  them  all  together,  he  filled  his  basket,  and 
went  home  and  brought  a  smile  to  the  lips  of  his  wife. 

And  for  the  second  time  the  Exalted  One  said  this  to  those  monks: 
"Enough,  monks!  No  quarreling!  No  brawling!  No  contending!  No 
wrangling!" 

But  in  spite  of  this,  they  paid  no  attention  to  his  words.  Thereupon 
the  Exalted  One  related  the  following  Story  of  the  Past: 

6.  BRAHMADATTA,  DIGHITI,  AND  DIGHAVU 

Love  your  enemies. 
Vinaya  i.  342-349. 

In  olden  times  at  Benares,  Brahmadatta  king  of  Kasi  was  rich, 
possessed  of  great  wealth,  ample  means  of  enjoyment,  a  mighty 
army,  many  vehicles,  an  extensive  kingdom,  and  well  filled  treas- 
uries and  storehouses.  Dighiti  king  of  Kosala  was  poor,  possessed 
of  meagre  wealth,  scanty  means  of  enjoyment,  a  small  army,  few 
vehicles,  a  little  kingdom,  and  unfilled  treasuries  and  storehouses. 
Now  Brahmadatta  king  of  Kasi  drew  up  his  fourfold  army  and 
went  up  against  Dighiti  king  of  Kosala.  And  Dighiti  king  of 
Kosala  heard:  "Brahmadatta  king  of  Kasi,  they  say,  has  drawn 
up  his  fourfold  army,  and  is  come  up  against  me."  Then  to  Dighiti 
king  of  Kosala  occurred  the  following  thought:  "Brahmadatta 
king  of  Kasi  is  rich,  possessed  of  great  wealth,  ample  means  of 
enjoyment,  a  mighty  army,  many  vehicles,  an  extensive  kingdom, 
and  well  filled  treasuries  and  storehouses.  But  I  am  poor,  pos- 
sessed of  meagre  wealth,  scanty  means  of  enjoyment,  a  small  army, 
few  vehicles,  a  little  kingdom,  and  unfilled  treasuries  and  store- 
houses. I  am  not  strong  enough  to  withstand  even  a  single  clash 
with  Brahmadatta  king  of  Kasi.  Suppose  I  were  merely  to  counter- 
march and  slip  out  of  the  city !" 


Par.  6.]  Bralimadatta  and  DlgJiavu  21 

Accordingly  Dighiti  king  of  Kosala  took  his  consort,  merely 
countermarched,  and  slipped  out  of  the  city.  Thereupon  Brah- 
madatta  king  of  Kasi  conquered  the  army  and  vehicles  and  terri- 
tory and  treasuries  and  storehouses  of  Dighiti  king  of  Kosala,  and 
took  possession.  And  Dighiti  king  of  Kosala  with  his  consort  set 
out  for  Benares,  and  in  due  course  arrived  at  Benares.  And  there, 
in  a  certain  place  on  the  outskirts  of  Benares,  Dighiti  king  of 
Kosala  resided  with  his  consort,  in  a  potter's  dwelling,  in  disguise, 
in  the  guise  of  a  wandering  ascetic. 

Now  in  no  very  long  time  the  consort  of  Dighiti  king  of  Kosala 
became  pregnant.  And  this  was  her  craving:  She  desired  at  sun- 
rise to  see  a  fourfold  army  drawn  up,  clad  in  armor,  standing  in 
a  pleasant  place,  and  to  drink  the  rinsings  of  swords.  Accordingly 
the  consort  of  Dighiti  king  of  Kosala  said  this  to  Dighiti  king  of 
Kosala:  "I  am  pregnant,  O  king.  And  this  craving  has  arisen 
within  me:  I  desire  at  sunrise  to  see  a  fourfold  army  drawn  up, 
clad  in  armor,  standing  in  a  pleasant  place,  and  to  drink  the 
rinsings  of  swords."  "Whence  are  we,  wretched  folk,  to  obtain  a 
fourfold  army  drawn  up,  clad  in  armor,  standing  in  a  pleasant 
place,  and  the  rinsings  of  swords.?"  "If,  O  king,  I  do  not  obtain 
my  desire,  I  shall  die." 

Now  at  that  time  the  Brahman  who  was  the  house-priest  of 
Brahmadatta  king  of  Kasi  was  a  friend  of  Dighiti  king  of  Kosala. 
Accordingly  Dighiti  king  of  Kosala  approached  the  Brahman 
who  was  the  house-priest  of  Brahmadatta  king  of  Kasi,  And 
having  approached,  he  said  this  to  the  Brahman  who  was  the 
house-priest  of  Brahmadatta  king  of  Kasi:  "Sir,  your  female 
friend  is  pregnant.  And  this  craving  has  arisen  within  her:  She 
desires  at  sunrise  to  see  a  fourfold  army  drawn  up,  clad  in  armor, 
standing  in  a  pleasant  place,  and  to  drink  the  rinsings  of  swords." 
"Very  well,  O  king,  we  also  will  see  the  queen." 

Now  the  consort  of  Dighiti  king  of  Kosala  approached  the 
Brahman  who  was  the  house-priest  of  Brahmadatta  king  of  Kasi. 
The  Brahman  who  was  the  house-priest  of  Bralmiadatta  king  of 
Kasi  saw  the  consort  of  Dighiti  king  of  Kosala  approaching  even 
from  afar.  And  seeing  her,  he  rose  fi'om  his  seat,  adjusted  his 
upper  robe  so  as  to  cover  one  shoulder  only,  and  bending  his 
joined  hands  in  reverent  salutation  before  the  consort  of  Dighiti 
king  of  Kosala,  thrice  breathed  forth  the  utterance :  "All  hail ! 


22  Love  Your  Enemies  [Chap.  II. 

A  king  of  Kosala  dwells  in  thy  womb !  All  hail !  A  king  of  Kosala 
dwells  in  thy  womb!"  Then  he  said:  "Be  not  distressed,  O  queen. 
You  shall  obtain  your  desire  to  see  at  sunrise  a  fourfold  army 
drawn  up,  clad  in  armor,  standing  in  a  pleasant  place,  and  to 
drink  the  rinsings  of  swords." 

Thereupon  the  Brahman  who  was  the  house-priest  of  Brah- 
madatta  king  of  Kasi  approached  Brahmadatta  king  of  Kasi. 
And  having  approached,  he  said  this  to  Brahmadatta  king  of  Kasi: 
"Thus,  O  king,  the  signs  appear:  To-morrow  at  sunrise  let  the 
fourfold  army  be  drawn  up,  clad  in  armor,  standing  in  a  pleasant 
place,  and  let  the  swords  be  washed."  Accordingly  Brahmadatta 
king  of  Kasi  ordered  his  men:  "Do  as  the  Brahman  who  is  my 
house-priest  has  said."  Thus  the  consort  of  Dighiti  king  of  Kosala 
obtained  her  desire  to  see  at  sunrise  a  fourfold  army  drawn  up, 
clad  in  armor,  standing  in  a  pleasant  place,  and  to  drink  the 
rinsings  of  swords.  And  when  that  unborn  child  had  reached 
maturity,  the  consort  of  Dighiti  king  of  Kosala  brought  forth  a 
son,  and  they  called  his  name  Dighavu.  And  in  no  very  long  time 
Prince  Dighavu  reached  the  age  of  reason. 

Now  to  Dighiti  king  of  Kosala  occurred  the  following  thought : 
"This  Brahmadatta  king  of  Kasi  has  done  us  much  injury.  He 
has  robbed  us  of  army  and  vehicles  and  territory  and  treasuries 
and  storehouses.  If  he  recognizes  us,  he  will  cause  all  three  of 
us  to  be  put  to  death.  Suppose  I  were  to  cause  Prince  Dighavu 
to  dwell  outside  of  the  city !"  Accordingly  Dighiti  king  of  Kosala 
caused  Prince  Dighavu  to  dwell  outside  of  the  city.  And  Prince 
Dighavu,  residing  outside  of  the  city,  in  no  very  long  time  ac- 
quired all  the  arts  and  crafts. 

Now  at  that  time  the  barber  of  Dighiti  king  of  Kosala  resided 
at  the  court  of  Brahmadatta  king  of  K-asi.  The  barber  of  Dighiti 
king  of  Kosala  saw  Dighiti  king  of  Kosala  residing  with  his  con- 
sort in  a  certain  place  on  the  outskirts  of  Bemires,  in  a  potter's 
dwelling,  in  disguise,  in  the  guise  of  a  wandering  ascetic.  When 
he  saw  him,  he  approached  Brahmadatta  king  of  Kasi.  And  having 
approached,  he  said  this  to  Brahmadatta  king  of  Kasi :  "O  king, 
Dighiti  king  of  Kosala  is  residing  with  his  consort  in  a  certain 
place  on  the  outskirts  of  Benares,  in  a  potter's  dwelling,  in  dis- 
guise, in  the  guise  of  a  wandering  ascetic." 

Thereupon  Brahmadatta  king  of  Kasi  ordered  his  men:  "Now 


Par.  6.]  Brahmadatta  and  Dighdvu  23 

then,  bring  Dlghiti  king  of  Kosala  with  his  consort  before  me." 
"Yes,  your  majesty,"  said  those  men  to  Brahmadatta  king  of 
Kasi;  and  in  obedience  to  his  command  brought  Dighlti  king  of 
Kosala  with  his  consort  before  him.  Then  Brahmadatta  king  of 
Kasi  ordered  his  men:  "Now  then,  take  Dlghiti  king  of  Kosala 
with  his  consort,  bind  their  arms  tight  behind  their  backs  with  a 
stout  rope,  shave  their  heads,  and  to  the  loud  beating  of  a  drum 
lead  them  about  from  street  to  street,  from  crossing  to  crossing, 
conduct  them  out  of  the  South  gate,  hack  their  bodies  into  four 
pieces  south  of  the  city,  and  throw  the  pieces  in  the  four 
directions." 

"Yes,  your  majesty,"  said  those  men  to  Brahmadatta  king  of 
Kasi ;  and  in  obedience  to  his  command  took  Dlghiti  king  of  Kosala 
with  his  consort,  bound  their  arms  tight  behind  their  backs  with 
a  stout  rope,  shaved  their  heads,  and  to  the  loud  beating  of  a 
drum  led  them  about  from  street  to  street,  from  crossing  to 
crossing. 

Now  to  Prince  Dighavu  occurred  the  following  thought :  "It 
is  a  long  time  since  I  have  seen  my  mother  and  father.  Suppose 
I  were  to  see  my  mother  and  father !"  Accordingly  Prince 
Dighavu  entered  Benares,  and  saw  his  mother  and  father,  their 
arms  bound  tight  behind  their  backs,  their  heads  shaven,  being 
led  about,  to  the  loud  beating  of  a  drum,  from  street  to  street, 
from  crossing  to  crossing.  When  he  saw  this,  he  approached  his 
mother  and  father. 

Dlghiti  king  of  Kosala  saw  Prince  Dighavu  approaching  even 
from  afar.  When  he  saw  him,  he  said  this  to  Prince  Dighavu: 
"Dear  Dighavu,  do  not  look  long !  Do  not  look  short !  For,  dear 
Dighavu,  hatreds  are  not  quenched  by  hatred.  Nay  rather,  dear 
Dighavu,  hatreds  are  quenched  by  love." 

At  these  words  those  men  said  this  to  Dlghiti  king  of  Kosala: 
"This  Dlghiti  king  of  Kosala  is  stark  mad,  and  talks  gibberish. 
Who  is  Dighavu  to  him.''  To  whom  did  he  speak  thus:  'Dear 
Dighavu,  do  not  look  long !  Do  not  look  short !  For,  dear  Dighavu, 
hatreds  are  not  quenched  by  hatred.  Nay  rather,  dear  Dighavu, 
hatreds  are  quenched  by  love'.''"  "I  am  not  stark  mad,  I  assure 
you,  nor  do  I  talk  gibberish.  However,  he  that  is  intelligent  will 
understand  clearly."  For  the  second  and  the  third  time  Dlghiti 


24  Love  Your  Enemies  [Chap.  II. 

king  of  Kosala  spoke  thus  to  Prince  Dighavu,  and  those  men  spoke 
thus  to  Dighiti  king  of  Kosala. 

Then  those  men  led  Dighiti  king  of  Kosala  with  his  consort 
about  from  street  to  street,  from  crossing  to  crossing,  conducted 
them  out  of  the  South  gate,  hacked  their  bodies  into  four  pieces 
south  of  the  city,  threw  the  pieces  in  the  four  directions,  posted 
a  guard  of  soldiers,  and  departed. 

Thereupon  Prince  Dighavu  entered  Benares,  procured  liquor, 
and  gave  it  to  the  soldiers  to  drink.  When  they  were  drunk  and 
had  fallen,  he  gathered  sticks  of  wood,  built  a  pyre,  placed  the 
bodies  of  his  mother  and  father  on  the  pyre,  lighted  it,  and  with 
joined  hands  upraised  in  reverent  salutation  thrice  made  sunwise 
circuit  of  the  pyre. 

Now  at  that  time  Brahmadatta  king  of  Kasi  was  on  an  upper 
floor  of  his  splendid  palace.  And  Brahmadatta  king  of  Kasi  saw 
Prince  Dighavu,  with  joined  hands  upraised  in  reverent  saluta- 
tion, thrice  making  sunwise  circuit  of  the  pyre.  When  he  saw  this, 
the  following  thought  occurred  to  him :  "Without  doubt  that  man 
is  a  kinsman  or  blood-relative  of  Dighiti  king  of  Kosala.  Alas, 
my  wretched  misfortune,  for  no  one  will  tell  me  the  facts !" 

Now  Prince  Dighavu  went  to  the  forest,  wailed  and  wept  his 
fill,  and  wiped  his  tears  away.  Then  he  entered  Benares,  went  to 
the  elephant-stable  adjoining  the  royal  palace,  and  said  this  to 
the  elephant-trainer :  "Trainer,  I  wish  to  learn  your  art."  "Very 
well,  young  man,  learn  it."  Accordingly  Prince  Dighavu  rose  at 
night,  at  time  of  dawn,  and  sang  and  played  the  lute  with  charming 
voice  in  the  elephant-stable. 

Brahmadatta  king  of  Kasi  heard  him  as  he  rose  at  night,  at 
time  of  dawn,  and  sang  and  played  the  lute  with  charming  voice 
in  the  elephant-stable.  Hearing  him,  he  asked  his  men :  "Who  was 
it,  pray,  that  rose  at  night,  at  time  of  dawn,  and  sang  and  played 
the  lute  with  charming  voice  in  the  elephant-stable.?"  "Your 
majesty,  it  was  a  young  man,  the  pupil  of  such-and-such  an  ele- 
phant-trainer, who  rose  at  night,  at  time  of  dawn,  and  sang  and 
played  the  lute  with  charming  voice  in  the  elephant-stable." 
"Very  well,  bring  that  young  man  to  me."  "Yes,  your  majesty," 
said  those  men  to  Brahmadatta  king  of  Kfisi;  and  in  obedience  to 
his  command  brought  Prince  Dighavu  to  him. 

"Was  it  you,  young  man,  who  rose  at  night,  at  time  of  dawn. 


Par.  6.]  Brahmadatta  and  Dtghdvu  25 

and  sang  and  played  the  lute  with  charming  voice  in  the  elephant- 
stable?"  "Yes,  your  majesty."  "Very  well,  young  man,  sing  and 
play  the  lute  for  me."  "Yes,  your  majesty,"  said  Prince  Dighavu 
to  Brahmadatta  king  of  Kasi ;  and  in  obedience  to  his  command, 
desiring  to  win  his  favor,  sang  and  played  the  lute  with  charming 
voice. 

Thereupon  Brahmadatta  king  of  Kasi  said  this  to  Prince 
Dighavu:  "You,  young  man,  may  wait  upon  me."  "Yes,  your 
majesty,"  said  Prince  Dighavu  to  Brahmadatta  king  of  Kasi,  and 
obeyed  his  command.  And  Prince  Dighavu  rose  in  advance  of 
Brahmadatta  king  of  Kasi,  retired  after  him,  obeyed  his  every 
command,  conducted  himself  in  a  pleasing  manner,  spoke  in  a 
friendly  manner.  And  in  no  very  long  time  Brahmadatta  king  of 
Kasi  appointed  Prince  Dighavu  to  a  highly  confidential  position. 

Now  Brahmadatta  king  of  Kasi  said  this  to  Prince  Dighavu : 
"Now  then,  young  man,  harness  the  chariot ;  I  wish  to  go  a-hunt- 
ing."  "Yes,  your  majesty,"  said  Prince  Dighavu  to  Brahmadatta 
king  of  Kasi.  And  having,  in  obedience  to  the  king's  command, 
harnessed  the  chariot,  he  said  this  to  Brahmadatta  king  of  Kasi: 
"Your  majesty,  the  chariot  is  harnessed  for  you;  do  as  you 
think  fit."  Thereupon  Brahmadatta  king  of  Kasi  mounted  the 
chariot;  Prince  Dighavu  drove  the  chariot.  In  such  wise  did  he 
drive  the  chariot  that  the  army  went  one  way,  the  chariot  the 
other. 

Now  when  he  had  gone  a  long  way,  Brahmadatta  king  of  Kasi 
said  this  to  Prince  Dighavu :  "Now  then,  young  man,  unharness 
the  chariot.  I  am  tired:  I  wish  to  lie  down."  "Yes,  your  majesty," 
said  Prince  Dighavu  to  Brahmadatta  king  of  Kasi;  and  in 
obedience  to  his  command  unharnessed  the  chariot  and  sat  down 
on  the  ground  cross-legged.  And  Brahmadatta  king  of  Kasi  lay 
down,  placing  his  head  in  Prince  Dighavu's  lap.  So  tired  was  he 
that  in  the  mere  fraction  of  a  moment  he  fell  asleep. 

Thereupon  to  Prince  Dighavu  occurred  the  following  thought : 
"This  Brahmadatta  king  of  Kasi  has  done  us  much  injury.  He  has 
robbed  us  of  army  and  vehicles  and  territory  and  treasuries  and 
storehouses.  And  he  has  killed  my  mother  and  father.  This  would  be 
the  very  time  for  me  to  satisfy  my  hatred!"  And  he  drew  sword 
from  sheath.  Then  to  Prince  Dighavu  occurred  the  following 
thought :   "My   father  said   to   me  in   the  hour  of  death :   'Dear 


26  Love  Your  Enemies  [Chap.  II. 

Dighavu,  do  not  look  long!  Do  not  look  short!  For,  dear  Dighavu, 
hatreds  are  not  quenched  by  hatred.  Nay  rather,  dear  Dighavu, 
hatreds  are  quenched  by  love.'  It  is  not  fitting  that  I  should  trans- 
gress the  command  of  my  father."  And  he  returned  sword  to 
sheath.  And  this  happened  a  second  time,  and  a  third  time. 

Suddenly  Brahmadatta  king  of  Kasi  rose,  frightened,  agitated, 
alarmed,  terrified.  Thereupon  Prince  Dighavu  said  this  to  Brah- 
madatta king  of  Kasi:  "Why,  your  majesty,  did  you  rise  so  sud- 
denly, frightened,  agitated,  alarmed,  terrified?"  "Right  here, 
young  man.  Prince  Dighavu,  son  of  Dighiti  king  of  Kosala,  fell 
upon  me  with  his  sword  in  a  dream.  Therefore  I  rose  suddenly, 
frightened,  agitated,  alarmed,  terrified." 

Then  Prince  Dighavu,  stroking  the  head  of  Brahmadatta  king 
of  Kasi  with  his  left  hand,  and  drawing  his  sword  with  his  right 
hand,  said  this  to  Brahmadatta  king  of  Kasi:  "I,  your  majesty, 
am  Prince  Dighavu,  son  of  DighIti  king  of  Kosala.  You  have  done 
us  much  injury.  You  have  robbed  us  of  army  and  vehicles  and 
territory  and  treasuries  and  storehouses.  And  you  have  killed 
my  mother  and  father.  This  would  be  the  very  time  for  me  to 
satisfy  my  hatred !" 

Thereupon  Brahmadatta  king  of  Kasi  prostrated  himself  on 
his  face  at  the  feet  of  Prince  Dighavu,  and  said  this  to  Prince 
Dighavu :  "Grant  me  my  life,  dear  Dighavu !  Grant  me  my  life, 
dear  Dighavu!"  "How  have  I  the  power  to  grant  your  majesty 
your  life.''  Your  majesty,  however,  might  grant  me  my  life."  Very 
well,  dear  Dighavu.  You  grant  me  my  life,  and  I  will  grant  you 
your  life."  Then  Brahmadatta  king  of  Kasi  and  Prince  DIgha^^^ 
granted  each  other  their  lives  and  shook  hands  and  swore  an  oath 
not  to  injure  each  other. 

Then  Brahmadatta  king  of  Kasi  said  this  to  Prince  Dighavu: 
"Now  then,  dear  Dighavu,  harness  the  chariot;  let  us  be  going." 
"Yes,  your  majesty,"  said  Prince  Dlghfivu  to  Brahmadatta  king 
of  Kasi.  And  having,  in  obedience  to  the  king's  command,  har- 
nessed the  chariot,  he  said  this  to  Brahmadatta  king  of  Kasi: 
"Your  majesty,  the  chariot  is  harnessed  for  you;  do  as  you  think 
fit."  Thereupon  Brahmadatta  king  of  Kasi  mounted  the  chariot; 
Prince  Dighavu  drove  the  chariot.  In  such  wise  did  he  drive  the 
chariot  that  in  no  very  long  time  he  came  up  with  the  army. 

Then  Brahmadatta  king  of  Kasi  entered  Benares,  caused  the 


Par.  6.]  Brahmadatta  and  Dlghavu  27 

ministers  of  his  council  to  be  assembled,  and  said  this :  "If,  sirs, 
you  were  to  see  Prince  Dlghavu,  son  of  Dighiti  king  of  Kosala, 
what  would  you  do  to  him?"  Some  spoke  thus :  "We,  your  majesty, 
would  cut  off  his  hands,"  Others  spoke  thus:  "We,  your  majesty, 
would  cut  off  his  feet."  "We  would  cut  off  his  hands  and  feet."  "We 
would  cut  off  his  ears."  "We  would  cut  off  his  nose."  "We  would 
cut  off  his  ears  and  nose."  "We,  your  majesty,  would  cut  off  his 
head."  "Sirs,  this  is  Prince  Dlghavu,  son  of  Dighiti  king  of 
Kosala ;  it  is  not  permissible  to  do  anything  to  him.  He  has 
granted  me  my  life,  and  I  have  granted  him  his  life." 

Then  Brahmadatta  king  of  Kasi  said  this  to  Prince  Dighavu: 
"When,  dear  Dighavu,  your  father  said  to  you  in  the  hour  of 
death :  'Dear  Dlghavu,  do  not  look  long !  Do  not  look  short !  For, 
dear  Dlghavu,  hatreds  are  not  quenched  by  hatred.  Nay  rather, 
dear  Dighavu,  hatreds  are  quenched  by  love,'  what  did  your  father 
mean  by  that.?"  "When,  your  majesty,  my  father  said  to  me  in 
the  hour  of  death :  'Not  long,'  what  he  meant  was :  'Do  not  cherish 
hatred  long.'  This,  your  majesty,  is  what  my  father  meant  when 
he  said  to  me  in  the  hour  of  death:  'Not  long.'  When,  your 
majesty,  my  father  said  to  me  in  the  hour  of  death:  'Not  short,' 
what  he  meant  was :  'Do  not  break  with  your  friends  quickly.' 
This,  your  majesty,  is  what  my  father  meant  when  he  said  to  me 
in  the  hour  of  death :  'Not  short.' 

"When,  your  majesty,  my  father  said  to  me  in  the  hour  of 
death:  'For,  dear  Dighavu,  hatreds  are  not  quenched  by  hatred. 
Nay  rather,  dear  Dighavu,  hatreds  are  quenched  by  love,'  what  he 
meant  to  have  me  understand  was  this:  Your  majesty  has  killed 
my  mother  and  father.  Were  I  to  deprive  your  majesty  of  life, 
your  majesty's  well-wishers  would  deprive  me  of  life,  and  my  well- 
wishers  would  deprive  yours  of  life.  Thus  that  hatred  would  not 
be  quenched  by  hatred.  But  as  matters  stand,  your  majesty  has 
granted  me  my  life,  and  I  have  granted  your  majesty  his  life. 
Thus  hatred  has  been  quenched  by  love.  This,  your  majesty,  is 
what  my  father  meant  when  he  said  to  me  in  the  hour  of  death: 
'For,  dear  Dighavu,  hatreds  are  not  quenched  by  hatred.  Nay 
rather,  dear  Dighavu,  hatreds  are  quenched  by  love.'  " 

Thereupon  Brahmadatta  king  of  Kasi  exclaimed :  "O  how  won- 
derful, O  how  marvelous,  that  this  Prince  Dighavu  should  under- 
stand in  its  fulness  a  matter  which  his  father  expressed  so  briefly !" 


28  Love  Your  Enemies  [Chap.  II. 

And  he  restored  to  him  the  army  and  vehicles  and  territory  and 
treasuries  and  storehouses  of  his  fathers,  and  gave  him  his 
daughter  in  marriage. 

"For;,  monks,  of  these  kings  who  took  the  rod,  who  took  the  sword, 
such  is  said  to  have  been  the  patience  and  gentleness.  How  much  more, 
monks,  should  you,  who  have  retired  from  the  world  under  a  Doctrine 
and  Discipline  so  well  taught,  let  your  light  so  shine  in  this  world  as  to 
be  known  of  men  as  patient  and  gentle."  And  for  the  third  time  the 
Exalted  One  said  this  to  those  monks:  "Enough,  monks!  No  quarrel- 
ing! No  brawling!  No  contending!  No  wrangling!"  , 

7.  DIGHAVU  AND  THE  KING  OF  BENARES 

Love  your  enemies. 
Jataka  371:  ill.  211-213. 

Such  as  you  are,  0  king.  This  parable  was  related  by  the  Teacher 
while  he  was  in  residence  at  Jetavana  with  reference  to  the  quarrel- 
some monks  of  Kosambi.  For  wlien  they  came  to  Jetavana  and  begged 
his  pardon,  the  Teacher  addressed  them:  "Monks,  you  are  my  own 
legitimate  sons,  born  of  the  words  of  my  mouth.  Now  it  is  not  proper 
for  sons  to  trample  under  foot  admonitions  given  them  by  their  father. 
But  you  have  not  obeyed  my  admonitions.  Wise  men  of  old,  even  when 
bandits  who  had  slain  their  mother  and  father  and  had  taken  their 
kingdom  at  last  came  into  their  hands  in  the  forest,  reflected,  'We  will 
not  trample  under  foot  the  admonitions  given  us  by  our  mother  and 
father,'  and  refrained  from  killing  them."  So  saying,  he  related  the 
following  Storv  of  the  Past: 

Now  that  Prince  Dighavu,  as  the  king  of  Benares  lay  in  the  forest 
with  his  head  in  his  own  lap,  seizing  him  by  the  top-knot,  drawing 
his  sword,  with  the  thought  in  his  mind,  "Now  I  will  cut  off  the 
head  of  this  slayer  of  my  mother  and  father,  this  bandit,  and  hack 
it  into  fourteen  pieces,"  at  that  moment  remembering  the  ad- 
monition given  him  by  his  mother  and  father,  thinking,  "Though 
I  renounce  life,  I  will  not  trample  under  foot  their  admonition ;  I 
will  only  frighten  him,"  uttered  the  first  stanza : 

Such  as  you  are,  O  king,  you  have  come  into  my  power  I 
Is  there  any  means  by  which  you  can  escape  disaster? 

Then  the  king  uttered  the  second  stanza: 

Such  as  I  am,  O  prince,  I  have  come  into  your  power ! 
There  is  no  means  by  which  I  can  escape  disaster. 


Par.  7.]  D'lghdvu  and  King  29 

Then  the  Future  Buddha  uttered  the  rest  of  the  stanzas : 

Good  deeds,  O  king,  and  nothing  else, 
Good  words,  O  king,  and  nothing  else. 
Protect  a  man  in  the  hour  of  death ; 
Worthless  is  any  other  kind  of  wealth. 

He  abused  me,  he  struck  me,  he  defeated  me,  he  robbed  me: 
If  any  cherish  this  thought,  their  hatred  never  ceases. 

He  abused  me,  he  struck  me,  he  defeated  me,  he  robbed  me: 
If  any  cherish  not  this  thought,  their  hatred  ceases. 

For  never  in  this  world  do  hatreds  cease  through  hatred; 
Through  love  alone  do  hatreds  cease:  this  is  an  eternal  law. 

Now  when  he  had  thus  spoken,  the  Future  Buddha  said,  "I, 
great  king,  have  no  desire  to  harm  you ;  but  do  you  kill  me !"  and 
placed  his  sword  in  the  king's  hand.  As  for  the  king,  he  said, 
"Neither  have  I  any  desire  to  harm  you,"  and  swore  an  oath. 
Returning  to  the  city  with  the  prince,  he  showed  him  to  his  min- 
isters and  said:  "This,  gentlemen,  is  Prince  Dighavu,  son  of  the 
king  of  Kosala.  He  has  granted  me  my  life.  It  is  not  permissible 
to  do  anything  to  him."  So  saying,  he  gave  him  his  own  daughter 
in  marriage  and  established  him  in  the  kingdom  which  belonged  to 
his  father.  Thenceforth  the  two  ruled  as  kings  in  unity  and 
concord. 

When  the  Teacher  had  related  this  parable,  he  identified  the  per- 
sonages in  the  Birth-story  as  follows:  "At  that  time  the  mother  and 
father  were  the  royalties  of  to-day ;  Prince  Dighavu  was  I  myself." 


CHArTER  III 

PARABLES  FROM  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  BUDDHA'S  PRE- 
VIOUS EXISTENCES  ON  DIVERS  SUBJECTS 

8.   TWO  CARAVAN-LEADERS 
Adhere  to  the  Truth. 

Jataka  1:1.95-106. 

One  day  Anathapindika  the  treasurer,  accompanied  by  five  hundred 
disciples  of  heretical  teachers,  went  to  Jetavana  monastery,  saluted  the 
Exalted  One,  presented  offerings,  and  sat  down.  Likewise  did  those 
disciples  of  heretical  teachers  salute  the  Tathagata  and  sit  down, 
close  beside  Anathapindika.  And  they  gazed  at  the  countenance  of  the 
Teacher,  resplendent  with  the  glory  of  the  full  moon;  at  his  form,  a 
form  like  that  of  Great  Brahma,  adorned  with  tlie  greater  and  lesser 
marks  of  beauty,  encircled  with  a  radiance  a  fatliom  deep ;  at  the  solid 
rays  of  a  Buddha  wliidi  issued  from  his  body,  forming,  as  it  were, 
garland  after  garland  and  pair  after  pair. 

And  to  tliem  the  Teacher,  as  it  were  a  young  lion  roaring  the  lion's 
roar  on  a  table-land  in  the  Himalaya  mountains,  as  it  were  a  cloud 
thundering  in  the  rainy  season,  as  it  were  bringing  down  the  Heavenly 
Ganges,  as  it  were  weaving  a  rope  of  jewels,  with  a  voice  like  that  of 
Great  Brahmfi,  endowed  with  the  Eight  Excellences,  captivating  the 
ear,  delighting  the  heart,  preached  a  pleasing  discourse  on  the  Doc- 
trine, diversified  in  divers  ways. 

The  heretics,  after  listening  to  the  discourse  of  the  Teacher,  be- 
lieved in  tlieir  hearts,  and  rising  from  their  seats,  burst  asunder  the 
refuge  of  the  heretical  teachers  and  sought  refuge  in  tlie  Buddha. 
From  that  time  on  they  regularly  accompanied  Anathapindika  to  the 
monastery  with  offerings,  listened  to  the  Doctrine,  gave  alms,  kept 
the  Precepts,  observed  Fast-day.  Now  the  Exalted  One  departed  from 
Savatthi  and  went  back  again  to  Rajagaha.  \Mirn  the  Tathagata  de- 
parted, the  heretics  burst  that  refuge  asunder,  sought  refuge  once  more 
in  the  heretical  teachers,  lapsed  once  more  into  their  former  position. 

When  the  Exalted  One  returned  to  Savatthi  and  learned  what  had 
ha]ipened,  he  said  to  those  backsliders:  "Laymen,  in  former  times 
also  men  mistook  for  a  refuge  what  was  no  refuge  at  all,  graspid  with 
the  grasp  of  reason,  with  the  grasp  of  contradiction,  and  in  a  wilder- 
ness haunted  by  demons  came  to  a  sorry  end,  becoming  the  food  of 


Par.  8.]  Two  Caravan-leaders  31 

ogres.  But  men  who  laid  hold  of  Truth  absolute,  certain,  consistent, 
obtained  safety  in  that  very  wilderness."  Having  so  said,  he  became 
silent. 

Thereupon  Anathapindika  the  householder,  rising  from  his  seat, 
saluted  and  applauded  tlie  Exalted  One.  And  joining  his  hands  and 
pressing  them  to  his  head  in  token  of  reverent  salutation,  he  spoke 
as  follows:  "Reverend  Sir,  it  is  clear  to  us  that  these  laymen  just  now 
burst  asunder  the  Supreme  Refuge  and  chose  instead  speculation.  ]5ut 
the  fact  that  in  former  times,  in  a  wilderness  haunted  by  demons,  men 
who  chose  speculation  were  destroyed,  while  men  who  chose  Absolute 
Truth  were  saved, — that  fact  is  hidden  from  us  and  clear  to  you  alone. 
It  were  indeed  well  were  the  Exalted  One,  as  it  were  making  the  full 
moon  rise  in  the  heavens,  to  make  this  fact  clear  to  us." 

Then  the  Exalted  One  aroused  the  attention  of  the  treasurer  by 
saying:  "I,  O  householder,  fulfilled  the  Ten  Perfections  during  a 
period  of  time  which  cannot  be  measured,  and  penetrated  Omniscience, 
for  the  sole  purpose  of  rending  asunder  the  doubt  of  the  world.  Lend 
ear  and  listen  as  attentively  as  though  you  were  filling  a  golden  tube 
with  lion-marrow."  Thereupon,  as  it  were  cleaving  the  Vault  of  the 
Snow  and  releasing  the  full  moon,  he  revealed  circumstances  hidden 
by  rebirth : 

In  times  past,  in  the  kingdom  of  Kasi,  in  the  city  of  Benares, 
there  was  a  king  named  Brahmadatta.  At  that  time  the  Future 
Buddha  was  reborn  in  the  household  of  a  caravan-leader.  In  the 
course  of  time  he  grew  to  manhood,  and  went  about  trading  with 
five  hundred  carts.  Sometimes  he  went  from  east  to  west,  some- 
times from  west  to  east.  In  the  same  city  of  Benares  there  was 
another  caravan-leader  besides,  a  foolish,  short-sighted,  resource- 
less  fellow. 

At  that  time  the  Future  Buddha  took  a  valuable  lot  of  goods 
from  Benares,  filled  five  hundred  carts,  made  preparations  for 
the  journey,  and  was  all  ready  to  start.  Likewise  that  foolish 
caravan-leader  also  filled  five  hundred  carts,  made  preparations 
for  the  journey,  and  was  all  ready  to  start. 

The  Future  Buddha  thought:  "If  this  foolish  caravan-leader 
goes  at  the  same  time  I  go,  and  a  thousand  carts  travel  along  the 
road  together,  even  the  road  will  not  be  big  enough.  It  will  be  diffi- 
cult for  the  men  to  find  firewood  and  water,  and  difficult  for  the 
oxen  to  find  grass.  Either  he  or  I  should  go  first."  So  he  had  the 
man  summoned,  told  him  the  situation,  and  said:  "It  is  out  of  the 
question  for  both  of  us  to  go  at  the  same  time.  Will  you  go  first, 
or  follow  after .?" 


32  Adhere  to  Truth  [Chap.  III. 

Thought  the  foolish  caravan-leader :  "There  are  many  ad- 
vantages in  my  going  first.  There  will  not  be  a  single  rut  in  the 
road  over  which  I  travel;  my  oxen  will  eat  grass  which  has  not 
been  touched ;  my  men  will  have  leaves  for  curry  which  have  not 
been  touched ;  the  water  will  be  clear;  I  can  sell  my  goods  at  what- 
ever price  I  choose  to  set."  So  he  said :  "I,  sir,  will  go  first." 

As  for  the  Future  Buddha,  he  saw  many  advantages  in  going 
second,  for  the  following  considerations  presented  themselves  to 
his  mind :  "Those  who  go  first  will  make  smooth  the  rough  spots  on 
the  road;  I  shall  go  by  the  same  road  they  have  gone;  the  oxen 
that  go  first  will  eat  the  old  tough  grass,  and  my  oxen  will  eat 
the  fresh  grass  which  will  have  sprung  up  in  the  meantime; 
wherever  they  pluck  leaves,  fresh  leaves  for  curry  will  have  sprung 
up  and  will  be  at  the  disposal  of  my  men ;  in  places  where  there  is 
no  water,  they  will  dig  wells  and  obtain  a  supply,  and  we  shall 
drink  water  from  wells  dug  by  others.  Moreover,  price-fixing  is 
like  depriving  men  of  life!  If  I  go  second,  I  can  sell  my  goods  for 
whatever  price  they  have  fixed."  Accordingly,  seeing  all  these 
advantages  in  going  second,  he  said :  "You,  sir,  go  first."  "Very 
well,  sir,"  said  the  foolish  caravan-leader.  So  harnessing  his  carts, 
he  set  out,  and  in  due  course  passing  beyond  the  habitations  of 
men,  he  reached  the  mouth  of  the  wilderness. 

(Wildernesses  are  of  five  kinds:  robber- wildernesses,  beast- wil- 
dernesses, waterless  wildernesses,  demon-wildernesses,  famine-wil- 
dernesses. Where  the  road  is  infested  with  robbers,  it  is  called  a 
robber-wilderness.  Where  the  road  is  infested  with  lions  and  other 
beasts  of  prey,  it  is  called  a  beast-wilderness.  Where  there  is  no 
water  for  bathing  or  drinking,  it  is  called  a  waterless  wilderness. 
If  it  is  infested  with  demons,  it  is  called  a  demon-wilderness.  If  it 
lacks  roots  and  hard  food  and  soft  food,  it  is  called  a  famine- 
wilderness.  Of  these  five  kinds  of  wildernesses,  this  wilderness  was 
both  a  waterless  wilderness  and  a  demon-wilderness.) 

Therefore  that  caravan-leader  set  many  huge  chatties  in  the 
carts  and  had  them  filled  with  water  before  he  struck  into  the 
sixty-league  wilderness.  Now  when  he  reached  the  middle  of  the 
wilderness,  the  ogre  who  lived  in  the  wilderness,  thinking,  "I  will 
make  these  men  throw  away  the  water  they  took,"  created  a  car 
to  delight  the  heart,  drawn  by  pure  white  young  oxen ;  and  sur- 
rounded by   ten  or  twelve  demons  bearing  in   their  hands   bow, 


Par.  8.]  Two  Caravan-leaders  33 

quiver,  shield,  and  weapon,  decked  with  water-lilies  both  blue  and 
white,  head  wet,  garments  wet,  seated  in  that  car  like  a  very  lord, 
the  wheels  of  the  car  smeared  with  mud,  came  down  that  road  from 
the  opposite  direction. 

Both  before  him  and  behind  him  marched  the  demons  who  formed 
his  retinue,  heads  wet,  garments  wet,  decked  with  garlands  of 
water-lilies  both  blue  and  white,  carrying  in  their  hands  clusters 
of  lotus-flowers  both  red  and  white,  chewing  the  fibrous  stalks  of 
water-lilies,  streaming  with  drops  of  water  and  mud. 

Now  caravan-leaders,  when  the  wind  is  ahead,  to  avoid  the  dust, 
ride  in  front,  sitting  in  their  cars,  surrounded  by  their  attendants. 
When  it  blows  from  behind,  they  ride  behind  in  precisely  the  same 
way.  But  at  this  time  the  wind  was  ahead ;  therefore  that  caravan- 
leader  rode  in  front. 

When  the  ogre  saw  him  approaching,  he  caused  his  own  car  to 
turn  out  of  the  road  and  greeted  him  in  a  friendly  manner,  saying: 
"Where  are  you  going .f"'  The  caravan-leader  also  caused  his  own 
car  to  turn  out  of  the  road,  allowing  room  for  the  carts  to  pass, 
and  standing  aside,  said  to  that  ogre:  "We,  sir,  are  just  approach- 
ing from  Benares.  But  you  are  approaching  decked  with  water- 
lilies  both  blue  and  white,  with  lotus-flowers  both  red  and  white 
in  your  hands,  chewing  the  fibrous  stalks  of  water-lilies,  smeared 
with  mud,  with  drops  of  water  streaming  from  you.  Is  it  raining 
along  the  road  by  which  you  came.?  Are  the  lakes  completely 
covered  with  water-lilies  both  blue  and  white,  and  lotus-flowers 
both  red  and  white  .f"' 

When  the  ogre  heard  his  words,  he  said :  "Friend,  what's  this 
you're  saying.?  Do  you  see  that  dark  green  streak  of  woods.'' 
Beyond  that  point  the  entire  forest  is  one  mass  of  water;  it  rains 
all  the  time ;  the  hollows  are  full  of  water ;  in  this  place  and  in 
that  are  lakes  completely  covered  with  lotus-flowers  both  red  and 
white."  As  the  carts  passed,  one  after  another,  he  inquired: 
"Where  are  you  going  with  these  carts  .f"'  "To  such-and-such  a 
country."  "What  are  the  goods  you  have  in  this  cart, — and  in 
that.?"  "Such-and-such." 

"The  cart  that  approaches  last  moves  as  though  it  were  ex- 
cessively heavy;  what  goods  have  you  in  that.?"  "There  is  water 
in  that."  "In  bringing  water  thus  far,  of  course,  you  have  acted 
wisely.   But  be^'ond   this   point   you   have   no   occasion   to    carry 


34  Adhere  to  Truth  [Chap.  III. 

water.  Ahead  of  you  water  is  abundant.  Break  the  chatties  to 
pieces,  throw  away  the  water,  travel  at  ease."  And  having  so  said, 
he  added:  "You  continue  your  joui-ney;  we  have  some  business 
that  detains  us."  The  ogre  went  a  little  way,  and  when  he  was  out 
of  their  sight,  went  back  again  to  his  own  city  of  ogres. 

Now  that  foolish  caravan-leader,  out  of  his  own  foolishness, 
took  the  advice  of  the  ogre,  broke  the  chatties  to  pieces,  threw 
away  all  of  the  water,  leaving  not  so  much  as  a  dribble,  and  caused 
the  carts  to  move  forward.  Ahead  there  was  not  the  slightest 
particle  of  water.  For  lack  of  water  to  drink  the  men  grew  weary. 
They  traveled  until  sundown,  and  then  unharnessed  the  carts, 
drew  them  up  in  a  contracted  circle,  and  tied  the  oxen  to  the 
wheels.  There  was  neither  water  for  the  oxen  nor  gruel  and  boiled 
rice  for  the  men.  The  weakened  men  lay  down  here  and  there  and 
went  to  sleep.  At  midnight  the  ogres  approached  from  the  city  of 
ogres,  slew  both  oxen  and  men,  every  one,  devoured  their  flesh, 
leaving  only  the  bare  bones,  and  having  so  done,  departed.  Thus, 
by  reason  of  a  single  foolish  caravan-leader,  they  all  met  destruc- 
tion. The  bones  of  their  hands  and  all  their  other  bones  lay 
scattered  about  in  the  four  directions  and  the  four  intermediate 
directions ;  five  hundred  carts  stood  as  full  as  ever. 

As  for  the  Future  Buddha,  he  waited  for  a  month  and  a  half 
from  the  day  when  the  foolish  caravan-leader  set  out,  and  then 
set  out  from  the  city  with  five  hundred  carts.  In  due  course  he 
reached  the  mouth  of  the  wilderness.  Thei'e  he  had  the  water- 
chatties  filled,  putting  in  an  abundant  supply  of  Avater.  Then, 
sending  a  drum  around  the  camp,  he  assembled  his  men  and  spoke 
as  follows :  "Without  first  obtaining  my  permission,  }■  ou  must  not 
use  so  much  as  a  dribble  of  water.  In  the  wilderness  there  are 
poison-trees :  any  leaf  or  flower  or  fruit  which  you  have  not  pre- 
viously eaten,  you  must  not  eat  without  first  obtaining  my  per- 
mission." Having  thus  admonished  his  men,  he  struck  into  the 
wilderness  with  his  five  hundred  carts. 

When  he  reached  the  middle  of  the  wilderness,  that  ogre  showed 
himself  in  the  path  of  the  Future  Buddha  in  precisel}^  the  same 
way  as  before.  When  the  Future  Buddha  saw  him,  he  knew:  "In 
this  wilderness  is  no  water;  that  is  what  is  called  a  waterless 
wilderness.  Moreover  this  fellow  is  fearless,  red-eyed,  casts  no 
shadow.  Without  a  doubt  this  fellow  caused  the  foolish  caravan- 


Par.  8.]  Two  Caravan-leaders  35 

leader  who  went  first  to  throw  away  all  his  water,  and  having  thus 
brought  weariness  upon  him  and  his  company,  devoured  them. 
But,  unless  I  am  mistaken,  he  does  not  know  how  wise  and  re- 
sourceful I  am." 

Accordingly  the  Future  Buddha  said  to  the  ogre :  "You  go  your 
way.  We  are  traders.  Unless  we  see  water  farther  on,  we  shall  not 
throw  away  the  water  we  have  brought.  But  wherever  we  do  see 
water,  there  we  shall  throw  away  the  water  we  have  brought,  and 
having  thus  lightened  our  carts,  shall  continue  our  journey."  The 
ogre  went  a  little  way,  and  when  he  was  out  of  sight,  went  back 
again  to  his  own  city  of  ogres. 

Now  when  the  ogre  had  gone,  the  men  asked  the  Future  Buddha : 
"Noble  sir,  these  men  said :  'Do  you  see  that  dark  green  streak  of 
woods.''  Beyond  that  point  it  rains  all  the  time.'  And  the  men 
who  said  it  approached  garlanded  with  garlands  of  water-lilies 
both  blue  and  white,  carrying  clusters  of  lotus-flowers  both  red 
and  white,  chewing  the  fibrous  stalks  of  water-lilies,  heads  wet, 
garments  wet,  with  drops  of  water  streaming  from  them.  Let  us 
throw  away  the  water  and  go  quickly  with  lightened  carts." 

The  Future  Buddha,  hearing  their  words,  caused  the  carts  to 
halt,  assembled  all  of  his  men,  and  asked:  "Has  any  one  of  you 
heard  that  there  is  either  a  lake  or  a  pool  in  this  wilderness.''" 
"Noble  sir,  we  have  not  so  heard.  This  is  what  is  called  a  water- 
less wilderness."  "Just  now  some  men  said:  'Beyond  that  dark 
green  streak  of  woods  it  is  raining.'  Now  how  far  does  a  rain-wind 
blow.?"  "A  matter  of  a  league,  noble  sir."  "But  has  a  rain-wind 
touched  the  body  of  even  a  single  one  of  you.'"'  "It  has  not,  noble 
sir."  "How  far  off  is  a  cloud-head  visible.'"'  "A  matter  of  a  league, 
noble  sir."  "But  has  any  one  of  you  seen  even  a  single  cloud-head.'"' 
"We  have  not,  noble  sir."  "How  far  off  is  lightning  visible.'"'  "Four 
or  five  leagues,  noble  sir."  "But  has  any  one  of  you  seen  a  flash  of 
lightning.'"'  "We  have  not,  noble  sir."  "How  far  off  can  the  sound 
of  a  cloud  be  heard.'"'  "A  matter  of  one  or  two  leagues,  noble  sir." 
"But  has  any  one  of  you  heard  the  sound  of  a  cloud.'"'  "We  have 
not,  noble  sir." 

"Those  are  not  human  beings ;  those  are  ogres.  They  must  have 
come  with  the  thought  in  their  minds :  'We  will  make  these  men 
throw  away  their  water,  weaken  them,  and  devour  them.'  The 
foolish  caravan-leader  who  went  first  was   not  resourceful.   Un- 


36  Cupidity,  Root  of  Ruin  [Chap.  III. 

doubtedly  he  must  have  thrown  away  the  water  at  their  behest, 
grown  weary,  and  been  devoured;  the  five  hundred  carts  must 
stand  as  full  as  ever.  To-day  we  shall  see  them.  Do  not  throw  away 
even  so  much  as  a  dribble  of  water,  but  drive  ahead  as  fast  as 
ever  you  can."  With  these  words  he  bade  them  drive  forward. 

Proceeding,  he  saw  the  five  hundred  carts  as  full  as  ever,  and  the 
bones  of  the  men's  hands  and  all  their  other  bones  scattered  in  all 
directions.  He  had  the  carts  unharnessed  and  a  stockade  built  by 
drawing  them  into  a  contracted  circle.  He  had  both  men  and 
oxen  given  their  supper  betimes,  and  the  oxen  lie  down  in  the 
centre  of  the  circle  formed  by  the  men.  He  himself,  assisted  by 
the  leaders  of  the  force,  kept  watch  during  the  three  watches  of 
the  night,  sword  in  hand,  and  alloAved  the  dawn  to  rise  upon  him 
standing  there. 

On  the  following  day,  very  early  in  the  morning,  he  had  his 
men  do  all  their  chores,  feed  the  oxen,  discard  the  weak  carts,  sub- 
stitute strong  ones,  throw  away  goods  of  little  value,  substitute 
those  of  great  value.  And  going  to  the  place  where  he  would  be, 
he  sold  his  goods  for  twice  or  thrice  the  price,  and  together  with 
his  entire  company  went  back  again  to  his  own  city. 

When  the  Teacher  had  related  this  parable,  he  said:  "Thus,  house- 
holder, in  times  past  those  who  grasped  with  the  grasp  of  speculation 
came  to  a  sorry  end,  but  those  who  grasped  Absolute  Truth  escaped 
from  the  hands  of  demons,  went  in  safety  to  the  place  where  they 
would  be,  and  went  back  again  to  their  own  place."  And  having  thus 
joined  the  two  parts  of  this  Parable  of  Absolute  Truth,  he,  the 
Supremely  Enlightened,  uttered  the  following  stanza : 

Some  adhered  to  Absolute  Truth,  sophists  to  less  than  this. 
Knowing  this,  a  wise  man  should  lay  hold  on  Absolute  Truth. 

Said  the  Teacher  in  conclusion:  'At  that  time  the  wise  caravan- 
leader  was  I  mvself." 


9.  VEDABBHA  AND  THE  THIEVES 

Cupidity  is  the  root  of  ruin. 
Jataka  48:1.252-256. 

Whoever  seeks  advantage  by  wroncf  means.  This  was  said  by  tlie 
Teacher  while  he  was  in  residence  at  Jetavana  with  reference  to  a  dis- 
obedient monk.  For  to  this  monk  tlie  Teacher  said:  "Monk,  not  only 


Par,  9.]  Vedabbha  and  Thieves  37 

in  your  present  state  of  existence  are  you  disobedient,  but  in  a  pre- 
vious state  of  existence  also  you  were  just  as  disobedient.  And  through 
this  same  habit  of  disobedience,  because  you  disregarded  the  words 
of  wise  men,  you  were  cleft  in  twain  with  a  sharp  sword  and  left 
lying  on  the  road.  And  through  your  own  fault,  and  yours  alone,  a 
thousand  men  met  destruction."  So  saying,  he  related  the  following 
Story  of  the  Past: 

In  times  past,  when  Brahmadatta  ruled  at  Benares,  there  lived  in 
a  certain  little  village  a  certain  Brahman  who  knew  a  charm  called 
the  Vedabbha  charm.  This  charm,  we  are  told,  was  beyond  price, 
of  great  worth.  When  the  moon  was  in  conjunction  with  a  certain 
constellation,  the  Brahman  would  look  up  at  the  sky  and  recite 
that  charm,  and  straightway  the  Rain  of  the  Seven  Jewels  would 
rain  from  the  sky. 

At  that  time  the  Future  Buddha  was  learning  the  arts  and 
crafts  in  the  house  of  that  Brahman.  Now  one  day  the  Brahman, 
accompanied  by  the  Future  Buddha,  departed  from  his  own  vil- 
lage and  set  out  for  the  kingdom  of  Cetiya  on  some  business  or 
other.  Along  the  road,  at  a  certain  place  in  the  forest,  five  hun- 
dred Despatcher-thieves  were  in  the  habit  of  committing  outrages 
on  travelers.  They  captured  both  the  Future  Buddha  and  the 
Brahman  Vedabbha. 

(But  why  were  these  thieves  called  Despatcher-thieves?  We 
are  told  that  whenever  they  captured  two  persons,  they  would 
despatch  one  of  them  to  fetch  ransom-money;  therefore  they  were 
appropriately  called  Despatcher-thieves.  For  example,  if  they  cap- 
tured father  and  son,  they  would  say  to  the  father:  "Fetch  us 
ransom-money  first;  then  you  may  take  your  son  and  go."  Simi- 
larly, if  they  captured  mother  and  daughter,  they  would  des- 
patch the  mother;  if  they  captured  an  older  and  a  younger 
brother,  they  would  despatch  the  older;  if  they  captured  teacher 
and  pupil,  they  would  despatch  the  pupil.) 

So  it  was  on  this  occasion.  Having  captured  the  Brahman 
Vedabbha,  they  despatched  the  Future  Buddha.  The  Future 
Buddha  bowed  to  his  teacher  and  said :  "I  will  return  in  the  course 
of  a  day  or  two.  Have  no  fear.  However,  do  as  I  tell  you.  To-day 
will  occur  the  conjunction  of  the  moon  which  causes  the  Rain 
of  Riches.  Under  no  circumstances,  because  you  cannot  endure 
your  misfortune,  must  you  recite  the  charm  and  cause  the  Rain 


38  Cupidity,  Root  of  Ruin  [Chap.  III. 

of  Riches.  If  you  do  so,  you  will  yourself  come  to  ruin,  and  these 
five  hundred  thieves  likewise."  Having  thus  admonished  his  teacher, 
he  went  for  the  ransom-money. 

When  the  sun  had  set,  the  thieves  bound  the  Brahman  and  laid 
him  down.  At  that  very  moment,  from  the  eastern  quarter  rose 
the  disk  of  the  full  moon.  The  Brahman  surveyed  the  constella- 
tions and  reflected:  "The  conjunction  of  the  moon  which  causes 
the  Rain  of  Riches  is  at  hand.  Why  should  I  endure  misfortune .-^ 
I  will  recite  the  charm,  cause  the  Rain  of  Riches,  give  the  riches 
to  the  thieves,  and  go  where  I  please." 

Accordingl}'  he  addressed  the  thieves:  "Well,  thieves,  for  what 
purpose  did  you  capture  me.''"  "For  ransom-money,  noble  sir." 
"If  you  want  ransom-money,  quickly  free  me  from  my  bonds,  bathe 
my  head,  clothe  me  with  new  garments,  perfume  me  with  scents, 
deck  me  with  flowers,  and  set  me  on  my  feet."  The  thieves,  hearing 
his  words,  did  so.  The  Brahman,  knowing  the  conjunction  of  the 
moon,  recited  the  charm  and  looked  up  at  the  sky.  Straightway 
jewels  fell  from  the  sky. 

The  thieves  gathered  up  that  wealth,  wrapped  it  in  folds  of 
their  upper  garments,  and  went  their  wa}^  The  Brahman  followed 
close  behind  them.  Now  a  second  pack  of  five  hundred  thieves 
captured  the  first  pack  of  thieves.  "For  what  purpose  did  you 
capture  us.?"  inquired  the  first.  "For  ransom-money,"  replied  the 
second.  "If  you  want  money,  capture  this  Brahman.  It  was  he 
who,  by  looking  up  at  the  sky,  caused  a  Rain  of  Riches ;  he  is  the 
man  who  gave  us  this  wealth." 

The  second  pack  released  the  first,  captured  the  Brahman,  and 
said  to  him:  "Give  us  wealth  too."  Said  the  Brahman:  "I  would 
gladly  give  you  wealth.  But  the  conjunction  of  the  moon  which 
causes  the  Rain  of  Riches  will  not  occur  for  a  year  yet.  If  you 
want  money,  have  patience,  and  I  will  cause  the  Rain  of  Riches 
then."  At  this  the  thieves  became  enraged  and  said:  "Oh,  you 
rascally  Brahman !  You  caused  a  Rain  of  Riches  for  others  but  a 
moment  ago,  but  you  tell  us  to  hold  our  patience  for  another 
year!"  So  saying,  they  cleft  the  Brahman  in  tAvain  Avith  a  sharp 
sword  and  left  him  lying  on  the  road. 

Then  the  second  pack  pursued  the  first  pack  hotly,  fought  with 
them,  killed  every  man  of  them,  and  took  the  spoils.  Again  divid- 
ing into  two  packs,  they  fought  with  each  other  until  one  pack  of 


Par.  9.]  Vedabbha  and  Thieves  39 

two  hundred  and  fifty  had  killed  the  other.  Continuing  in  this 
wise,  they  killed  each  other  off  until  there  were  only  two  men  left. 
Thus  those  thousand  men  came  to  ruin.  Now  those  two  men,  having 
gotten  away  with  the  spoils  by  a  ruse,  hid  the  spoils  in  a  thicket 
near  a  certain  village.  One  sat  guarding  the  spoils  with  sword  in 
hand ;  the  other,  having  procured  rice,  entered  the  village  to  have 
some  porridge  cooked. 

"Cupidity  is  the  root  of  ruin !"  The  man  sitting  by  the  spoils 
reflected:  "When  this  fellow  returns,  this  wealth  will  have  to  be 
divided  into  two  portions.  Suppose  I  were  to  strike  him  with  the 
sword  and  kill  him  the  very  moment  he  returns !"  So  girding  on 
his  sword,  he  sat  watching  for  his  companion  to  return. 

His  companion  reflected:  "That  wealth  will  have  to  be  divided 
into  two  portions.  Suppose  I  were  to  put  poison  in  the  porridge, 
let  that  fellow  eat  it,  cause  his  death,  and  get  the  spoils  for  myself 
alone !"  So  when  the  porridge  was  done,  he  ate  some  himself,  put 
poison  in  the  rest,  and  then  took  it  and  went  to  the  thicket. 

The  moment  the  second  thief  took  that  porridge  out  and  set  it 
down,  the  first  thief  cleft  him  in  twain  with  his  sword  and  flung 
his  remains  away  in  a  secluded  spot.  Then  he  ate  that  porridge 
and  himself  died  on  the  spot.  Thus,  by  reason  of  that  wealth, 
every  one  of  those  men  came  to  ruin. 

As  for  the  Future  Buddha,  he  returned  in  the  course  of  a  day  or 
two  with  the  ransom-money.  Not  seeing  his  teacher  where  he  had 
left  him,  but  seeing  the  spoils  scattered  all  about,  he  reflected: 
"It  must  be  that  my  teacher  disregarded  my  words  and  caused 
the  Rain  of  Riches ;  it  must  be  that  all  of  those  men  have  come 
to  ruin."  And  he  continued  his  walk  along  the  highway. 

As  he  proceeded,  he  saw  his  teacher  lying  on  the  highway,  cleft 
in  twain.  Thought  he:  "My  teacher  disregarded  my  words  and 
is  dead."  Then  he  gathered  firewood,  built  a  pyre,  cremated  his 
teacher,  and  honored  him  Avith  forest-flowers. 

As  he  proceeded,  he  saw  farther  on  five  hundred  thieves  who  had 
met  destruction ;  farther  on  yet,  two  hundred  and  fifty ;  and  so  on 
until  finally  he  came  upon  two.  Thought  he:  "These  thousand 
thieves  have  come  to  ruin  save  only  two.  There  must  be  two  thieves 
besides.  They  also  could  never  have  restrained  themselves.  Where 
can  they  be.''" 

As  he  proceeded,  he  saw  the  footprints  of  the  two  thieves  who 


40  Cupidity,  Root  of  Ruin  [Chap.  III. 

had  entered  the  thicket  with  the  spoils.  Proceeding  farther,  he 
saw  first  a  heap  of  riches  wrapped  up  in  a  bundle,  and  then  one 
of  the  two  thieves  dead  with  a  porridge-bowl  overturned  beside 
him.  Then  he  knew  all.  "Such-and-such  they  must  have  done," 
thought  he.  Then  he  reflected:  "Where  can  that  fellow  be.''" 
Making  a  search,  he  found  his  body  also  flung  awa^^  in  a  secluded 
spot.  Then  he  reflected : 

"Our  teacher,  because  he  disregarded  my  words,  through  his 
own  habit  of  disobedience,  through  his  oAvn  fault,  has  come  to 
ruin.  Moreover  through  him  a  thousand  men  besides  have  perished. 
Alas !  By  employing  wrong  means,  for  no  reason  at  all,  seeking 
gain  for  themselves,  these  thieves,  like  our  teacher,  must  all  have 
come  to  a  fearful  end  indeed !"  And  he  recited  the  following 
stanza : 

Whoever  seeks  advantage  by  wrong  means,  comes  to  grief. 
Thieves  slew  Vedabbha,  and  all  met  destruction. 

Thus,  by  the  recitation  of  this  stanza,  did  the  Future  Buddha 
preach  the  Doctrine.  And  the  spirits  of  the  forest  made  the  forest 
ring  with  their  applause.  Then  said  the  Future  Buddha :  "Just  as 
our  teacher,  putting  forth  effort  by  wrong  means,  at  the  wrong 
time,  caused  the  Rain  of  Riches,  and  thus  himself  met  destruction 
and  became  the  cause  of  others'  ruin,  precisely  so  whoever  else 
besides  shall  exert  himself,  seeking  advantage  for  himself  by  wrong 
means,  shall  himself  come  to  ruin  and  shall  become  the  cause  of 
others'  ruin." 

Employing  right  means,  the  Future  Buddha  removed  that 
wealth  to  his  own  home,  and  during  the  remainder  of  the  term  of 
life  allotted  to  him  gave  alms  and  performed  the  other  works  of 
merit.  And  when  his  life  came  to  an  end,  he  passed  away,  fulfilling 
the  Path  to  Heaven. 

Said  the  Teacher:  "jNIonk,  not  only  in  your  present  state  of  existence 
are  you  disobedient,  but  in  a  previous  state  of  existence  also  you  were 
disobedient.  And  because  of  j^our  liabit  of  disobedience  you  came  to  a 
fearful  end."  And  having  completed  this  parable,  he  identified  the 
personages  in  the  Birth-story  as  follows:  "At  that  time  the  Brahman 
Vedabbha  was  the  disobedient  monk,  but  the  pupil  was  I  myself." 


Par.  10.]  Buddhist  Tar-Bahy  41 

10.  A  BUDDHIST  TAR-BABY 

Kee'p  the  Precepts. 
Jataka  55:1.272-275. 

The  man  mhose  heart  clings  not.  This  parable  was  related  by  the 
Teacher  while  he  was  in  residence  at  Jetavana  with  reference  to  a 
monk  who  relaxed  effort.  For^  addressing  that  monk,  the  Teacher 
asked:  "Monk,  is  it  true,  as  they  allege,  that  you  have  relaxed  effort?" 
"True,  Exalted  One!"  "Monk,"  said  the  Teacher,  "in  former  times 
wise  men  exerted  themselves  on  an  occasion  when  it  was  necessary 
for  them  to  exert  themselves,  and  by  so  doing  attained  the  glory  of 
dominion."  So  saying,  he  related  the  following  Story  of  the  Past: 

In  times  past,  when  Brahmadatta  ruled  at  Benares,  the  Future 
Buddha  received  a  new  conception  in  the  womb  of  the  chief  consort 
of  that  king.  On  the  day  when  he  received  his  name,  his  parents, 
after  delighting  eight  hundred  Brahmans  with  all  of  the  Pleasures 
of  Sense,  inquired  regarding  the  signs.  The  Brahmans,  skilled  in 
the  discernment  of  signs  as  they  were,  seeing  that  he  possessed 
the  signs  of  a  Great  Man,  made  the  following  prediction :  "Great 
king,  the  prince  possesses  merit ;  upon  your  decease  he  will  attain 
the  sovereignty;  he  will  become  the  foremost  man  in  the  Land  of 
the  Rose-apple,  and  will  be  celebrated,  will  be  renowned,  for  his 
deeds  with  the  five  weapons."  His  parents,  hearing  these  words 
of  the  Brahmans,  in  selecting  a  name  for  the  prince,  gave  him  the 
name  Prince  Five-weapons. 

Now  when  he  reached  the  age  of  discretion,  when  he  was  about 
sixteen  years  of  age,  the  king  addressed  him.  "Son,"  said  the 
king,  "acquire  the  arts  and  crafts."  "Under  what  teacher  shall  I 
acquire  them,  your  majesty.?"  "Son,  go  acquire  them  under  a 
world -renowned  teacher  who  resides  in  the  city  of  Takkasila  in 
the  kingdom  of  Gandhara ;  here  is  the  fee  for  you  to  give  to  this 
teacher."  So  saying,  he  gave  him  a  thousand  pieces  of  money  and 
sent  him  on  his  way. 

The  prince  went  there  and  acquired  the  arts  and  crafts.  Having 
so  done,  he  took  the  five  weapons  which  his  teacher  gave  him, 
bowed  to  his  teacher,  departed  from  the  city  of  Takkasila,  and 
girded  with  the  five  weapons,  struck  into  the  road  leading  to 
Benares.  On  the  way  he  came  to  a  certain  forest  infested  by  an 


42  Prince  Five-weapons  [Chap.  III. 

ogre  named  Sticky-hair.  Now  at  the  mouth  of  the  forest  men 
who  saw  him  tried  to  dissuade  him  from  entering,  saj'ing:  "Sir 
prince,  do  not  enter  this  forest ;  an  ogre  named  Stick^^-hair  lives 
here;  he  kills  every  man  he  sees." 

The  Future  Buddha,  confident  of  himself,  fearless  as  a  maned 
lion,  entered  the  forest  just  the  same.  When  he  reached  the  heart 
of  that  forest,  that  ogre  showed  himself  to  the  Future  Buddha. 
He  had  increased  his  stature  to  the  height  of  a  palm-tree ;  he  had 
created  for  himself  a  head  as  big  as  a  summer-house  with  bell- 
shaped  pinnacle,  eyes  as  big  as  alms-bowls,  two  tusks  as  big  as 
giant  bulbs  or  buds ;  he  had  the  beak  of  a  haAvk ;  his  belly  was 
covered  with  blotches ;  his  hands  and  feet  were  dark  green. 

Having  shown  himself  to  the  Future  Buddha,  he  said:  "Where 
are  you  going. '^  halt!  you  are  my  prey!"  But  the  Future  Buddha 
said  to  him :  "Ogre,  I  knew  what  I  was  about  when  I  entered  this 
forest.  You  would  do  well  to  be  careful  about  attacking  me,  for 
with  an  arrow  steeped  in  poison  will  I  pierce  your  flesh  and  fell  you 
on  the  spot !"  Having  thus  threatened  him,  the  Future  Buddha 
fitted  to  his  bow  an  arrow  steeped  in  deadly  poison  and  let  fly. 

It  stuck  right  to  the  ogre's  hair.  Then  he  let  fly,  one  after 
another,  fifty  arrows.  All  stuck  right  to  the  ogre's  hair.  The  ogre 
shook  off  every  one  of  those  arrows,  letting  them  fall  right  at  his 
feet,  and  approached  the  Future  Buddha.  The  Future  Buddha 
threatened  him  once  more,  and  drawing  his  sword,  smote  him  with 
it.  The  sword,  thirty-three  inches  long,  stuck  right  to  the  ogre's 
hair.  Then  he  hit  him  with  a  spear.  That  also  stuck  right  to  his 
hair.  Perceiving  that  the  spear  had  stuck,  he  smote  him  with  a 
club.  That  also  stuck  right  to  his  hair. 

Perceiving  that  the  club  had  stuck,  he  said:  "Master  ogre,  you 
have  never  heard  of  me  before.  I  am  Prince  Five-weapons.  When 
I  entered  this  forest  infested  by  you,  I  took  no  account  of  bows 
and  such-like  weapons ;  when  I  entered  this  forest,  I  took  account 
only  of  myself.  Now  I  am  going  to  beat  you  and  pound  you  into 
powder  and  dust !"  Having  thus  made  known  his  determination, 
with  a  yell  he  struck  the  ogre  with  liis  right  hand.  His  hand  stuck 
right  to  the  ogre's  hair.  He  struck  him  with  his  left  hand.  That 
also  stuck.  He  struck  him  with  his  right  foot.  That  also  stuck. 
He  struck  him  with  his  left  foot.  That  also  stuck.  Thought  he: 
"I  will  beat  you  with  my  head  and  pound  you  into  powder  and 


Par.  10.]  Buddhist  Tar-Bahy  43 

dust !"  He  struck  him  with  his  head.  That  also  stuck  right  to  the 

ogre's  hair. 

The  Future  Buddha,  snared  five  times,  stuck  fast  in  five  places, 
dangled  from  the  ogre's  body.  But  for  all  that,  he  was  unafraid, 
undaunted.  As  for  the  ogre,  he  thought :.  "This  is  some  lion  of 
a  man,  some  man  of  noble  birth, — no  mere  man !  For  although  he 
has  been  caught  by  an  ogre  like  me,  he  appears  neither  to  tremble 
nor  to  quake !  In  all  the  time  I  have  harried  this  road,  I  have  never 
seen  a  single  man  to  match  him!  Why,  pray,  is  he  not  afraid?" 
Not  daring  to  eat  him,  he  asked:  "Youth,  why  are  you  not  afraid.? 
why  are  you  not  terrified  with  the  fear  of  death.?" 

"Ogre,  why  should  I  be  afraid?  for  in  one  state  of  existence  one 
death  is  absolutely  certain.  What's  more,  I  have  in  my  belly  a 
thunderbolt  for  weapon.  If  you  eat  me,  you  will  not  be  able  to 
digest  that  weapon.  It  will  tear  your  insides  into  tatters  and  frag- 
ments and  will  kill  you.  In  that  case  we'll  both  perish.  That's  why 
I'm  not  afraid!"  (In  these  terms,  we  are  told,  the  Future  Buddha 
referred  to  the  Weapon  of  Knowledge  within  himself.) 

Hearing  this,  the  ogre  thought :  "What  this  youth  says  is  true, 
every  word  of  it.  From  the  body  of  this  lion  of  a  man,  my  stomach 
would  not  be  able  to  digest  a  fragment  of  flesh  even  so  small  as  a 
kidney  bean.  I'll  let  him  go !"  Terrified  with  the  fear  of  death,  he 
let  the  Future  Buddha  go,  saying :  "Youth,  you're  a  lion  of  a  man ! 
I'll  not  eat  your  flesh.  Do  you,  this  moment  released  from  my 
hand,  even  as  the  moon  is  released  from  the  Jaws  of  Rahu,  go 
gladden  the  circle  of  your  kinsfolk  and  well-wishers !" 

Then  said  the  Future  Buddha  to  the  ogre:  "Ogre,  I'll  go 
presently.  But  you,  because  in  a  former  state  of  existence  also 
you  wrought  evil,  have  been  reborn  as  an  ogre,  cruel,  red-handed, 
feeding  on  the  flesh  and  blood  of  others.  If  in  this  state  of  exist- 
ence also,  so  long  as  you  live,  you  do  evil  deeds,  you  will  go  from 
darkness  to  darkness.  But  from  the  moment  you  saw  me,  it  has 
been  impossible  for  you  to  do  evil  deeds.  Such  a  crime  as  taking 
the  life  of  living  beings  means  rebirth  in  hell,  in  the  animal  king- 
dom, in  the  region  of  the  fathers,  in  the  world  of  the  fallen  deities ; 
should  you  be  reborn  in  the  world  of  men,  you  will  live  but  a  short 
time  and  soon  pass  away." 

In  such  wise  did  the  Future  Buddha  recite  the  disadvantages  of 
doing  deeds   contrary   to  the   Precepts,   and   the   advantages   of 


44  Prince  Five-weapons  [Chap.  III. 

keeping  the  Five  Precepts.  With  one  reason  after  another  he  terri- 
fied the  ogre,  preaclied  the  Doctrine  to  him,  subdued  him,  made 
him  self-denying.  Having  established  him  in  the  Five  Precepts, 
he  bade  him  practice  them.  Then  he  transformed  him  into  a  spirit 
entitled  to  receive  offerings  in  the  forest,  and  having  admonished 
him  to  be  heedful,  departed  from  the  forest.  At  the  mouth  of  the 
forest  he  told  his  story  to  human  beings.  Then,  girded  with  the 
five  weapons,  he  went  to  Benares  and  visited  his  mother  and 
father.  After  a  time  becoming  established  in  the  kingdom,  he 
ruled  righteously,  gave  alms  and  performed  the  other  works  of 
merit,  and  passed  away  according  to  his  deeds. 

The    Teacher,    having    related    this    parable,    uttered,    as    Supreme 
Buddha,  the  following  stanza: 

The  man  whose  heart  clings  not, 

Whose  mind  clings  not, 

Who  cultivates  the  Exalted  States 

To  the  attainment  of  Nibbana, 

Shall,  in  due  course,  reach 

The  Destruction  of  all  Bonds. 


11.  TWO  DICERS 
Take  care! 

Jataka  91 :  i.  379-380. 

On  a  certain  occasion  the  Exalted  One  reproved  the  monks  for  handling 
their  property  carelessly.  Said  he:  "Monks,  careless  handling  of  prop- 
erty is  like  careless  handling  of  deadly  poison.  For  men  of  old,  through 
carelessness,  not  knowing  what  was  the  matter,  ate  poison,  and  as  a 
result  experienced  great  suffering."  So  saying,  he  related  the  following 
Story  of  the  Past: 

In  times  past,  when  Brahmadatta  ruled  at  Benares,  the  Future 
Buddha  was  reborn  in  a  household  of  great  wealth.  When  he 
reached  manhood,  he  became  a  dicer.  Now  a  second  dicer  used  to 
play  with  the  Future  Buddha,  and  he  was  a  cheat.  So  long  as  he 
was  winning,  he  would  not  break  the  play-ring;  but  when  he  lost, 
he  would  put  a  die  in  his  mouth,  say,  "A  die  is  lost !"  break  the 
play-ring,  and  make  off. 

The  Future  Buddha,  knowing  the  reason  for  this,  said :  "Let  be ! 


Par.  12.]  Brahmadattaand  Mallika  45 

I  shall  find  some  way  of  dealing  with  him."  So  taking  the  dice  to 
his  own  home,  he  painted  them  with  deadly  poison  and  let  them 
dry  thoroughly.  Then,  taking  them  with  him,  he  went  to  the 
second  dicer's  and  said:  "Come,  sir,  let  us  play  at  dice."  "Yes, 
sir,"  said  the  second  dicer,  and  marked  out  the  play-ring. 

As  the  second  dicer  played  with  the  Future  Buddha,  he  lost, 
and  put  a  die  in  his  mouth.  Now  the  Future  Buddha,  seeing  him 
do  this,  said:  "Just  swallow!  Later  you  will  know  what  that  is." 
And  to  rebuke  him  he  recited  the  following  stanza : 

Smeared  with  the  strongest  poison 

Was  the  die  the  man  swallowed,  but  knew  it  not. 

Swallow,  O  swallow,  wicked  dicer ! 

Later  it  will  taste  bitter  to  you. 

Even  as  the  Future  Buddha  spoke,  he  swooned  from  the  effect 
of  the  poison,  rolled  his  eyes,  dropped  his  shoulders,  and  fell. 
Said  the  Future  Buddha:  "Now  I  must  grant  him  his  life."  So 
giving  him  an  emetic  containing  herbs,  he  made  him  vomit.  Then, 
giving  him  ghee,  honey,  and  sugar  to  eat,  he  made  him  well.  Finally 
he  admonished  him :  "Never  do  such  a  thing  again."  And  having 
performed  almsgiving  and  the  other  works  of  merit,  the  Future 
Buddha  passed  away  according  to  his  deeds. 

When  the  Teacher  had  completed  this  parablC;,  he  said:  "Monks, 
careless  handling  of  property  is  like  careless  handling  of  deadly 
poison."  Then  he  identified  the  personages  in  the  Birth-story  as  fol- 
lows: "At  that  time  the  wise  dicer  was  I  myself." 


12.  BRAHMADATTA  AND  MALLIKA 

Overcome  evil  with  good. 
Jataka  151:  ii.  1-5. 

On  a  certain  occasion  King  Pasenadi  Kosala,  after  deciding  litigations 
in  the  Hall  of  Justice,  came  hastily  to  pay  his  respects  to  the  Teacher. 
Said  the  Teacher:  "Great  king,  to  decide  litigations  righteously  and 
justly  is  a  good  thing.  It  is  the  Path  to  Heaven.  But  this  is  no  remark- 
able thing,  that  you,  receiving  admonition  from  an  Omniscient  Buddha 
like  me,  should  decide  litigations  righteously  and  justly.  This  alone  is 
remarkable,  that  kings  of  old,  listening  to  the  words  of  men  who  were 
wise  but  not  omniscient,  decided  litigations  righteously  and  justly, 
avoided  the  Four  Evil  Courses,  kept  inviolate  the  Ten  Royal  Virtues, 


46  Overcome  Evil  with  Good  [Chap.  III. 

ruled  justly^  and  departed  fulfilling  the  Path  to  Heaven."  Then,  in 
response  to  a  request  of  the  king,  he  related  the  following  Story  of 
the  Past: 

Ix  times  past,  when  Brahmadatta  ruled  at  Benares,  the  Future 
Buddha  received  a  new  conception  in  the  womb  of  his  chief  con- 
sort. The  queen  received  the  treatment  customar}'^  for  the  pro- 
tection of  an  unborn  child,  and  the  Future  Buddha  passed  out  of 
the  womb  of  his  mother  in  safety.  On  his  name-day  he  received 
the  name  Prince  Brahmadatta.  In  due  time  he  grew  up.  When  he 
was  sixteen  years  old,  he  went  to  Takkasila,  acquired  proficiency 
in  all  the  arts  and  crafts,  and  on  the  death  of  his  father,  became 
established  in  the  kingdom. 

He  ruled  righteously  and  justly.  He  avoided  the  Four  Evil 
Courses  in  rendering  judgments.  Since  he  himself  ruled  so 
righteously,  the  ministers  of  justice  also  transacted  their  affairs 
with  an  eye  to  righteousness  alone.  Since  the  ministers  of  justice 
transacted  their  affairs  righteously,  there  were  no  men  who 
brought  dishonest  litigations.  For  lack  of  them,  hubbub  over 
litigations  in  the  king's  courtyard  ceased.  Every  day  ministers  of 
justice  took  their  seats  in  the  place  of  litigation,  but  seeing  no 
one  come  for  litigation,  departed.  The  place  of  litigation  became 
abandoned. 

The  Future  Buddha  thought:  "Since  I  have  been  ruling 
righteously,  no  men  at  all  have  come  for  litigation,  the  hubbub 
has  ceased,  the  place  of  litigation  has  become  abandoned.  The 
time  has  come  for  me  to  find  out  whether  I  have  any  fault.  If  I 
know,  'This,  for  example,  is  a  fault  in  me,'  I  will  get  rid  of  it  and 
have  to  do  with  good  qualities  only."  From  that  time  on  he  mingled 
with  indoor-folk  and  tested  them  with  the  question,  "Is  there 
anybody  who  says  I  have  a  fault  .f"'  He  met  with  no  one  who  said 
he  had  a  fault,  but  heard  mentioned  only  his  own  good  qualities. 
"It  may  be  because  these  people  are  afraid  of  me  that  they  refrain 
from  mentioning  faults  in  me  and  speak  only  of  my  good 
qualities." 

He  tested  the  outdoor-folk,  but  among  them  also  met  no  one. 
He  tested  those  who  dwelt  within  the  city.  He  took  his  stand  in 
the  settlements  at  the  four  gates  and  tested  those  who  dwelt 
without  the  city.  Among  them  also  he  met  with  no  one  who  said 


Par.  12.]  Brahmadatta  and  Mallika  47 

he  had  a  fault,  but  heard  mentioned  only  his  good  qualities.  "I 
will  test  the  countryside,"  thought  he.  So  turning  over  the  king- 
dom to  his  ministers,  he  mounted  his  chariot,  departed  from  the 
city  in  disguise,  accompanied  only  by  his  charioteer,  and  went  as 
far  as  the  frontier  testing  the  countryside.  Meeting  with  no  one 
who  said  he  had  a  fault,  but  hearing  mentioned  only  his  good 
qualities,  he  turned  back  from  the  frontier  and  started  back  for 
the  city  on  the  highway. 

Now  at  this  time  a  king  of  Kosala  named  Mallika,  a  righteous 
ruler,  was  also  trying  to  find  out  whether  he  had  any  faults.  Meet- 
ing with  no  one  among  either  indoor-folk  or  others  who  said  he 
had  a  fault,  but  hearing  mentioned  only  his  own  good  qualities,  he 
went  to  that  region  testing  the  countryside.  Both  kings  met  face 
to  face  in  a  single  wagon-track  leading  through  a  swamp.  There 
was  no  room  for  either  chariot  to  turn  out. 

Now  King  Mallika's  charioteer  said  to  the  charioteer  of  the 
king  of  Benares :  "Get  your  chariot  out  of  the  way !"  Said  the 
charioteer  of  the  king  of  Benares :  "Master  charioteer,  get  your 
chariot  out  of  the  way !  In  this  chariot  sits  the  lord  of  the  realm 
of  Benares,  the  mighty  king  Brahmadatta  !"  Retorted  King  Mal- 
lika's charioteer:  "Master  charioteer,  in  this  chariot  sits  the  lord 
of  the  realm  of  Kosala,  the  mighty  king  Mallika  !  Get  your  chariot 
out  of  the  way !  Make  room  for  the  chariot  of  our  king !"  Thought 
the  charioteer  of  the  king  of  Benares :  "He  also  is  every  inch  a 
king,  to  be  sure.  What's  to  be  done.'"'  He  came  to  the  conclusion: 
"This  is  the  way:  I  will  find  out  the  ages  of  the  two  kings  and 
cause  the  chariot  of  the  younger  to  turn  out  and  make  room 
for  the  chariot  of  the  older." 

Accordingly  the  charioteer  of  the  king  of  Benares  asked  the 
other  charioteer  the  age  of  the  king  of  Kosala.  Comparing  the 
ages  of  the  two  kings,  he  discovered  that  both  kings  were  of 
exactly  the  same  age.  He  then  made  inquiry  regarding  the  extent 
of  his  kingdom,  his  army,  his  wealth,  his  reputation,  and  his  posi- 
tion in  respect  of  caste,  race,  and  family.  He  discovered:  "Both 
are  lords  of  kingdoms  three  hundred  leagues  in  extent ;  they  are 
equals  as  regards  army,  wealth,  and  reputation ;  they  are  in  the 
same  position  in  respect  of  caste,  race,  and  family."  Then  he 
thought:  "I  will  make  room  for  that  king  who  is  more  advanced 


48  Overcome  Evil  with  Good  [Chap.  III. 

in  the  practice  of  morality."  Accordingly  the  charioteer  of  the 
king  of  Benares  asked  the  charioteer  of  the  king  of  Kosala: 
"What  is  your  king's  practice  of  morality  like.?"  The  charioteer 
of  the  king  of  Kosala  replied :  "Such-and-such  is  our  king's  prac- 
tice of  morality."  And  proclaiming,  as  though  they  were  good 
qualities,  only  the  faults  of  his  own  king,  he  uttered  the  first 
stanza : 

Firmness  he  flings  in  the  face  of  the  firm; 

Mallika  overcomes  kindly  with  kindness, 

Good  with  good,  evil  with  evil. 

Such  is  this  king.  Charioteer,  turn  out  of  the  road. 

But  the  charioteer  of  the  king  of  Benares  said  to  him :  "What ! 
Are  these  the  good  qualities  of  your  own  king  which  you  have 
just  recited.?"  "Yes."  "Well!  If  these  are  his  good  qualities,  what 
must  his  faults  be  like.?  Now  then,  listen."  So  saying,  the  chari- 
oteer of  the  king  of  Benares  uttered  the  second  stanza : 

He  overcomes  anger  with  kindness, 

He  overcomes  evil  with  good. 

The  niggard  with  gifts,  the  liar  with  truth. 

Such  is  this  king.  Charioteer,  turn  out  of  the  road. 

Hearing  these  words,  King  ]\Iallika  and  his  charioteer  both  got 
down  from  the  chariot,  unharnessed  the  horses,  removed  the 
chariot,  and  gave  the  road  to  the  king  of  Benares. 

The  king  of  Benares  admonished  King  Mallika,  saying:  "Thus 
and  so  must  one  do."  Having  so  said,  he  went  to  Benares,  gave 
alms  and  performed  the  other  works  of  merit,  and  when  his  term 
of  life  was  come  to  an  end,  fulfilled  the  Path  to  Heaven. 

As  for  King  jNIallika,  he  accepted  the  admonition  of  the  king  of 
Benares,  tested  the  countryside,  met  with  no  one  who  said  he  had 
a  fault,  and  went  to  his  own  city.  Having  given  alms  and  having 
performed  the  other  works  of  merit,  when  his  term  of  life  was 
come  to  an  end,  he  also  fulfilled  the  Path  to  Heaven. 

When  the  Teacher,  for  the  purpose  of  admonishing  tlie  king  of 
Kosala,  had  related  this  parable,  he  identified  the  personages  in  the 
Birtli-story  as  follows :  "At  that  time  King  Mallika's  charioteer  was 
Moggallana,  the  king  was  Ananda,  tlie  charioteer  of  tlie  king  of 
Benares  was  Sariputta,  but  the  king  was  I  myself." 


Par.  13.]  King  Dadhivahana  49 

13.  KING  DADHIVAHANA 

Evil  communications  corrupt  good  manners. 
Jatakal86:ii.  101-106. 

On  a  certain  occasion  the  Teacher  addressed  the  monks  as  follows: 
"Monks,  contact  with  the  corrupt  is  a  bad  thing,  an  injurious  thing. 
Indeed,  why  should  it  be  necessary  to  discuss  the  injurious  effect  on 
human  beings  of  contact  with  the  corrupt,  when  in  times  past  even  a 
senseless  mango  tree,  with  flavor  as  sweet  as  the  flavor  of  celestial 
fruit,  through  contact  with  sour,  unpalatable  nimbs,  turned  sour  and 
bitter .? 

Part  1.  Gem,  hatchet,  drum,  and  bowl. 

In  times  past,  when  Brahmadatta  ruled  at  Benares,  four  Brahman 
brothers  in  the  kingdom  of  Kasi  adopted  the  life  of  ascetics,  and 
building-  a  row  of  leaf-huts  in  the  Himalaya  region,  took  up  their 
abode  there.  The  eldest  of  the  four  brothers  died  and  was  reborn 
as  Sakka.  Knowing  who  he  had  been,  he  went  from  time  to  time, 
every  seven  or  eight  days,  and  ministered  to  his  former  brothers. 

One  day  he  saluted  the  eldest  ascetic,  sat  down  on  one  side,  and 
asked:  "Reverend  Sir,  is  there  anything  you  need.'"'  The  ascetic, 
who  was  suffering  from  jaundice,  said:  "I  need  fire."  Sakka  gave 
him  a  little  hatchet.  Said  the  ascetic:  "Who  will  take  this  and 
fetch  me  wood.?"  Then  Sakka  said  to  him:  "When,  Reverend  Sir, 
you  need  wood,  just  rub  this  hatchet  with  your  hand  and  say: 
'Please  fetch  me  wood  and  make  me  a  fire.'  And  the  hatchet  will 
fetch  wood,  make  a  fire,  and  turn  it  over  to  you." 

Having  given  him  the  little  hatchet,  Sakka  went  to  the  second 
ascetic  and  asked:  "Reverend  Sir,  what  do  you  need.'"'  Past  his 
leaf-hut  ran  an  elephant-track.  Since  the  elephants  bothered  him, 
he  said :  "The  elephants  annoy  me ;  drive  them  away."  Sakka  pre- 
sented a  drum  to  him,  saying,  "Reverend  Sir,  if  you  beat  this  side, 
your  enemies  will  flee;  if  you  beat  that,  they  will  become  kindly 
disposed  and  will  surround  you  with  a  fourfold  army." 

Having  given  him  the  drum,  Sakka  went  to  the  youngest  ascetic 
and  asked:  "Reverend  Sir,  what  do  you  want?"  He  also  was 
afflicted  with  jaundice;  therefore  he  said:  "I  want  curds."  Sakka 
gave  him  a  bowl  of  curds,  saying:  "If  you  invert  this  and  make  a 
wish,  the  curds  will  turn  into  a  mighty  river,  will  set  flowing  a 


50  Gem,  Hatchet,  Drum,  Bowl  [Chap.  III. 

mighty  flood,  and  will  even  be  able  to  get  and  give  you  a  kingdom." 
So  saying,  he  went  his  way. 

From  that  time  on  the  little  hatchet  made  fire  for  the  eldest 
brother;  when  the  second  brother  beat  the  drum,  the  elephants 
fled;  the  youngest  brother  enjoyed  his  curds. 

At  that  time  a  boar,  rooting  among  the  ruins  of  a  village, 
caught  sight  of  a  gem  endowed  with  magical  power.  He  bit  the 
gem,  and  by  its  magical  power  rose  into  the  air.  Seeing  a  little 
island  in  mid-ocean,  he  thought:  "There  now  is  the  place  for  me 
to  live."  So  he  descended  and  made  his  home  in  a  pleasant  place 
under  a  fig  tree. 

One  day  the  boar  lay  down  at  the  foot  of  that  tree,  placed  the 
gem  in  front  of  him,  and  fell  asleep. 

Now  a  certain  man  who  lived  in  the  kingdom  of  Kasi,  driven 
from  home  by  his  mother  and  father  with  the  remark,  "He's  no 
good  to  us,"  went  to  a  certain  seaport,  hired  himself  out  to 
mariners,  and  embarked  on  a  ship.  In  mid-ocean  the  ship  sprang 
a  leak,  and  he  floated  to  that  island  on  a  plank.  While  seeking  wild 
fruits  he  saw  that  boar.  Creeping  up,  he  seized  the  gem.  By  its 
magical  power  he  rose  into  the  air.  Seating  himself  on  the  fig  tree, 
he  thought:  "This  boar,  become  an  air-voyager  by  the  magical 
power  of  this  gem,  lives  here,  I  suppose.  But  I  must  not  go  back 
without  first  of  all  killing  him  and  eating  his  flesh."  He  broke  off 
a  twig  and  let  it  fall  on  the  boar's  head.  The  boar  woke  up,  but 
not  seeing  the  gem,  ran  this  way  and  that,  all  of  a  tremble.  The 
man  sitting  in  the  tree  laughed.  The  boar  looked,  and  seeing  him, 
ran  his  head  against  the  tree,  and  died  then  and  there.  The  man 
came  down,  made  a  fire,  and  cooked  the  boar's  flesh  and  ate  it. 
Then  he  rose  into  the  air  and  passed  over  the  tops  of  the  Hima- 
layas. 

Seeing  a  region  of  hermitages,  he  descended  at  the  hermitage 
of  the  eldest  ascetic.  He  lived  there  for  two  or  three  days,  per- 
formed the  major  and  minor  duties  for  the  ascetic,  and  saw  the 
magical  power  of  the  little  hatchet.  "This  I  must  get,"  thought 
he.  Accordingly,  after  demonstrating  to  the  ascetic  the  magical 
power  of  the  gem,  he  said :  "Reverend  Sir,  take  this  gem  and  give 
me  the  little  hatchet."  The  ascetic,  having  a  desire  to  travel 
through  the  air,  took  the  gem  and  gave  him  the  little  hatchet. 

The  man  took  the  little  hatchet   and  went   a   short   distance. 


Par.  13.]  King  Dadhivdhana  51 

Then  he  rubbed  the  little  hatchet  and  said:  "Little  hatchet,  chop 
off  the  ascetic's  head  and  bring  me  the  gem."  The  little  hatchet 
went  and  chopped  off  the  ascetic's  head  and  brought  him  the  gem. 
The  man  put  the  little  hatchet  in  a  secret  place,  and  then  went  to 
the  second  ascetic  and  lived  with  him  for  a  few  days.  Seeing  the 
magical  power  of  the  drum,  he  gave  the  second  ascetic  the  gem, 
took  the  drum,  and  in  the  same  way  as  before  caused  his  head  also 
to  be  cut  off.  Then  he  approached  the  youngest  ascetic.  Seeing  the 
magical  power  of  the  bowl  of  curds,  he  gave  the  youngest  ascetic 
the  gem,  took  the  bowl  of  curds,  and  in  the  same  way  as  before 
caused  his  head  to  be  cut  off. 

Then  he  took  the  gem  and  the  little  hatchet  and  the  drum  and 
the  bowl  of  curds,  and  rose  into  the  air.  Halting  not  far  from 
Benares,  he  sent,  by  the  hand  of  a  certain  man,  the  following 
message  to  the  king  of  Benares :  "Give  me  battle  or  the  kingdom !" 
As  soon  as  the  king  heard  the  message,  he  said:  "Let's  catch  the 
bandit ;"  and  sallied  forth.  The  man  beat  the  proper  side  of  the 
drum,  and  a  fourfold  army  surrounded  him.  Perceiving  that  the 
king  had  deployed  his  forces,  he  turned  the  bowl  of  curds  loose. 
A  mighty  river  began  to  flow,  and  the  multitude  sank  down  in  the 
curds  and  were  unable  to  extricate  themselves.  Then  he  rubbed 
the  little  hatchet  and  said :  "Bring  me  the  king's  head."  The  little 
hatchet  went  and  brought  the  king's  head  and  laid  it  at  his  feet. 
Not  a  single  soldier  had  the  power  to  lift  a  weapon.  Accompanied 
by  a  mighty  force,  the  man  entered  the  city  and  caused  himself 
to  be  sprinkled  king.  Having  become  king  under  the  name  Da- 
dhivahana,  he  ruled  with  righteousness. 

Part  2.  Corrupt  fruit  from  a  good  tree. 

One  day,  while  he  was  amusing  himself  in  the  mighty  river,  in 
an  enclosure  formed  by  a  net,  there  floated  up  and  lodged  in  the 
net  a  single  mango  fruit  fit  for  the  gods.  When  they  lifted  the  net 
they  saw  it  and  gave  it  to  the  king.  It  was  of  large  size,  as  big  as 
a  water-pot,  perfectly  round,  and  of  a  golden  color.  The  king 
asked  his  foresters:  "What  is  that  the  fruit  of?"  "The  fruit  of  a 
mango  tree."  Having  eaten  it,  he  caused  the  stone  to  be  planted 
in  his  own  garden,  and  to  be  sprinkled  with  milk  and  water.  The 
tree  sprouted,  and  in  the  third  year  bore  fruit. 

Great  was  the  honor  rendered  to  the  mango.  They  sprinkled  it 


62  Sweet  Fruit  Turns  Sour  [Chap.  III. 

with  milk  and  water,  they  made  marks  of  the  spread  hand  with 
scented  ointment  on  it,  they  festooned  it  with  wreaths  and  ropes 
of  flowers,  they  burned  lamps  with  perfumed  oil  before  it,  and 
round  about  it  they  hung  a  curtain  of  fine  cloth. 

The  fruit  was  sweet  and  of  a  golden  color.  When  King  Dadhi- 
vahana  sent  the  fruit  of  the  mango  to  other  kings,  he  pierced  with 
a  mandu  thorn  the  spot  where  the  sprout  starts,  for  fear  a  tree 
might  sprout  from  the  stone.  When,  after  eating  the  mango 
fruit,  they  planted  the  stone,  nothing  happened.  "What,  pray, 
can  be  the  cause  of  this.?"  they  inquired,  and  discovered  the  cause. 

Now  a  certain  king  summoned  his  gardener  and  asked:  "Can 
you  spoil  the  flavor  of  King  Dadhivfdiana's  mango  fruit  and  make 
it  bitter.?"  "Yes,  your  majesty."  "Very  well,  go."  So  saying,  he 
gave  him  a  thousand  pieces  of  money  and  sent  him  off.  The 
gardener  went  to  Benares,  caused  the  king  to  be  informed  that  a 
gardener  had  arrived,  managed  to  have  himself  summoned  by  the 
king,  and  entering  the  palace,  made  obeisance  to  the  king.  "Are 
you  the  gardener.?"  asked  the  king.  "Yes,  your  majesty,"  said 
the  gardener,  and  described  his  own  marvelous  powers.  Said  the 
king:  "Go,  assist  our  gardener." 

From  that  time  on  the  two  men  cared  for  the  garden.  The  newly 
arrived  gardener  caused  flowers  to  blossom  out  of  season  and 
fruits  to  grow  out  of  season,  and  made  the  garden  a  charming 
place.  The  king,  pleased  with  the  new  gardener,  dismissed  the 
old  gardener,  and  gave  the  new  gardener  exclusive  charge  of  the 
garden.  The  new  gardener,  realizing  that  the  garden  was  in  his 
own  hands,  planted  nimbs  and  pot-herbs  and  creepers  all  around 
the  mango  tree. 

In  the  course  of  time  the  nimbs  grew  up.  Roots  with  roots, 
branches  with  branches,  were  in  contact,  entangled,  intertwined. 
Merely  through  this  contact  with  the  sour,  unpalatable  nimbs, 
the  sweet  fruit  of  the  mango  turned  bitter,  and  its  flavor  became 
like  the  flavor  of  the  leaves  of  the  nimbs.  The  gardener,  knowing 
that  the  fruit  of  the  mango  had  turned  bitter,  fled. 

Dadhivahana  went  to  the  garden  and  ate  a  mango  fruit.  As 
soon  as  he  put  the  mango  into  his  mouth,  perceiving  that  the  juice 
tasted  like  the  vile  juice  of  the  nimb,  he  was  unable  to  swallow  it, 
and  coughing  it  up,  spat  it  out.  Now  at  that  time  the  Future 
Buddha   was   his   counsellor    in   temporal    and   spiritual   matters. 


Par.  14.]  Antelope  and  Hunter  53 

The  king  addressed  the  Future  Buddha:  "Wise  man,  this  tree  is 
just  as  well  cared  for  now  as  it  was  of  old.  But  in  spite  of  this, 
its  fruit  has  turned  bitter.  What,  pray,  is  the  reason.?"  And  by 
way  of  inquiry  he  uttered  the  first  stanza : 

Color^,  fragrance,  flavor,  had  this  mango  before. 
Receiving  the  same  honor,  why  has  the  mango  bitter  fruit  .^ 

Then  the  Future  Buddha  told  him  the  reason  by  uttering  the 
second  stanza : 

Your  mango,  Dadhivahana,  is  surrounded  with  nimbs. 
Root  in  contact  with  root,  branches  entwine  about  branches. 
Through  contact  with  the  bad,  therefore  your  mango  has  bitter  fruit. 

The  king,  hearing  his  words,  had  every  one  of  the  nimbs  and 
pot-herbs  chopped  down,  the  roots  pulled  up,  the  sour  earth  round 
about  removed,  sweet  earth  put  in  its  place,  and  the  mango  fed 
with  milk  and  water,  sweetened  water,  and  perfumed  water. 
Through  contact  with  sweet  juices  the  mango  became  perfectly 
sweet  again.  The  king  gave  the  regular  gardener  sole  charge  of 
the  garden,  and  after  living  out  his  allotted  term  of  life,  passed 
away  according  to  his  deeds. 

14.  ANTELOPE,  WOODPECKER,  TORTOISE,  AND  HUNTER 

In  union  there  is  strength. 
Jataka  206:11.152-155. 

On  a  certain  occasion  the  Buddha  related  the  following  story: 

In  times  past,  when  Brahmadatta  ruled  at  Benares,  the  Future 
Buddha  was  an  antelope  and  made  his  home  in  a  certain  thicket 
in  a  forest,  not  far  from  a  certain  lake.  Not  far  from  that  same 
lake,  on  the  tip  of  a  certain  tree,  perched  a  woodpecker.  More- 
over in  the  lake  a  tortoise  made  his  home.  Thus  did  those  three 
live  together  as  friends,  kindly  affectionate  one  towards  another. 
Now  a  certain  hunter,  on  his  way  through  the  forest,  seeing  the 
tracks  of  the  Future  Buddha  at  the  place  where  the  animals  went 
to  drink,  set  a  trap,  resembling  an  iron  foot-chain,  only  made  of 
leathern  strips,  and  went  his  way.  In  the  very  first  watch  of  the 
night  the  Future  Buddha,  coming  to  drink  of  the  water,  became 
entangled  in  the  trap  and  cried  the  cry  of  a  captured  animal. 


64  In  Union  Is  Strength  [Chap.  III. 

When  he  made  tliat  sound,  from  the  tip  of  the  tree  came  the 
woodpecker  and  out  of  the  water  came  the  tortoise.  And  they  took 
counsel  together,  saying:  "What's  to  be  done  now,?"  Then  said 
the  woodpecker,  addressing  the  tortoise :  "Master,  you  have  teeth ; 
you  saw  this  trap  in  two,  I'll  go  and  manage  things  in  such  a  way 
that  that  hunter  sha'n't  come  near.  Thus,  if  the  two  of  us  do  our 
very  best,  our  friend  will  save  his  life."  And  explaining  this  matter, 
he  uttered  the  first  stanza: 

Come,  tortoise !  use  your  teeth,  and  cut  the  leathern  trap ! 
I'll  manage  things  in  such  a  way  the  hunter  shall  not  come ! 

The  tortoise  began  to  chew  the  strips  of  leather.  The  wood- 
pecker went  to  the  village  where  the  hunter  lived.  At  the  first  signs 
of  dawn,  the  hunter  took  his  knife  and  started  to  leave  the  house. 
The  bird,  observing  that  he  was  leaving  the  house,  shrieked, 
flapped  his  wings,  and  struck  him  in  the  face  just  as  he  was 
coming  out  of  the  front  door.  Thought  the  hunter:  "I  have  been 
struck  by  a  bird  of  evil  omen,"  So  he  went  back,  la}^  down  for  a 
little  while,  and  then  got  up  again  and  took  his  knife. 

The  bird  knew:  "This  fellow  first  came  out  of  the  front  door. 
This  time  he  will  come  out  of  the  back  door."  So  he  went  and 
perched  back  of  the  house.  As  for  the  hunter,  he  thought :  "When 
I  went  out  of  the  front  door,  I  saw  a  bird  of  evil  omen.  This  time 
I  will  go  out  of  the  back  door,"  So  he  went  out  of  the  back  door. 
Again  the  bird  shrieked,  flew  at  him,  and  struck  him  in  the  face. 
The  hunter,  struck  once  again  by  that  bird  of  evil  omen,  made 
up  his  mind :  "That  bird  will  not  permit  me  to  go  out."  So  he  went 
back,  lay  down  until  the  dawn  came  up,  and  when  it  was  dawn, 
took  his  knife  and  went  out.  The  bird  went  quickly  and  told  the 
Future  Buddha:  "The  hunter  is  coming!" 

At  that  moment  the  tortoise  had  chewed  all  of  the  strips  except 
just  one  strap.  But  his  teeth  had  got  to  the  point  where  they  were 
ready  to  drop,  and  his  jaws  were  smeared  with  blood.  The  Future 
Buddha  saw  the  hunter,  knife  in  hand,  coming  on  with  lightning- 
speed.  Cutting  that  strap,  he  entered  the  wood.  The  bird  perched 
on  the  tip  of  the  tree.  But  the  tortoise  was  so  weak  that  he  con- 
tinued to  lie  right  there.  The  hunter  tlirew  the  tortoise  into  a  sack 
and  hung  the  sack  on  some  stump  or  other. 

The  Future  Buddha  came  back,  looked  about,  and  perceived 


Par.  15.]  Buddhist  Kenny-Fenny  55 

that  the  tortoise  had  been  taken  captive.  "I  will  grant  my  friend 
the  boon  of  life!"  he  resolved.  So  feigning  weakness,  he  showed 
himself  to  the  hunter.  "That  antelope  must  be  very  weak,"  thought 
the  hunter:  "I  will  kill  him."  And  knife  in  hand,  he  started  after 
him.  The  Future  Buddha,  keeping  not  too  far  away  and  not  too 
near,  led  him  on  and  entered  the  forest.  When  he  thought  he  had 
gone  far  enough,  he  disguised  his  tracks,  went  by  another  path 
with  the  speed  of  the  wind,  lifted  the  sack  on  his  horn,  flung  it 
on  the  ground,  broke  it  open,  and  let  out  the  tortoise.  As  for  the 
woodpecker,  he  came  down  from  the  tree. 

The  Future  Buddha,  admonishing  his  two  friends,  said :  "I, 
through  you,  have  obtained  my  life.  You  have  done  for  me  what  a 
friend  should  do  for  a  friend.  At  any  moment  the  hunter  may  come 
and  catch  you.  Therefore,  Master  woodpecker,  do  you  take  your 
fledglings  and  go  elsewhere;  and  do  you.  Master  tortoise,  enter 
the  water."  They  did  so. 

The  Teacher,  as  Supreme  Buddha,  uttered  the  second  stanza: 

The  tortoise  entered  the  water. 
The  antelope  entered  the  wood, 
The  woodpecker  from  that  dangerous  path 
Took  his  fledglings  far  away. 

When  the  hunter  returned  to  that  spot  and  saw  nothing  at  all, 
he  took  the  tattered  sack  and  went  to  his  own  house  in  deep  dejec- 
tion. As  for  those  three  friends,  they  lived  all  their  lives  long  with 
never  a  break  in  their  friendly  relations,  and  then  passed  away 
according  to  their  deeds. 

When  the  Teacher  had  related  this  parable,  he  identified  the  per- 
sonages in  the  Birth-story  as  follows:  "At  that  time  the  hunter  was 
Devadatta,  the  woodpecker  was  Sariputta,  the  tortoise  was  Moggallana, 
but  the  antelope  was  I  myself," 


15.  A  BUDDHIST  HENNY-PENNY 

Much  ado  about  nothing. 
Jataka  322:  ill.  74-78. 

On  a  certain  occasion  the  Teacher,  referring  to  the  self-mortification 
of  the  Hindu  ascetics,  said  to  the  monks:  "Monks,  there  is  no  value, 
no  merit,  in  their  self-mortification.  It  is  like  the  'rat-a-tat'  the  little 


56  Much  Ado  about  Nothing  [Chap.  III. 

hare  heard."  Said  the  monks:  "We  do  not  understand  what  you  mean 
by  saying  that  it  is  like  the  'rat-a-tat'  the  little  hare  heard.  Tell  us 
about  it,  Reverend  Sir."  So  in  response  to  their  request  the  Teacher 
related  the  following  Story  of  the  Past: 

Ix  times  past,  when  Brahmadatta  ruled  at  Benares,  the  Future 
Buddha  was  reborn  as  a  lion,  and  when  he  grew  up,  lived  in  a 
forest.  At  that  time,  near  the  Western  Ocean,  grew  a  grove  of 
cocoanut  trees  intermingled  with  Vilva  trees.  There,  at  the  foot 
of  a  Vilva  tree,  under  a  cocoanut  sapling,  lived  a  little  hare.  One 
day,  returning  with  food,  he  lay  down  under  a  cocoanut  leaf  and 
thought:  "If  this  earth  should  collapse,  what  would  ever  become 
of  me.?" 

At  that  very  instant  a  Vilva  fruit  fell  on  top  of  the  cocoanut 
leaf.  At  the  sound  of  it  the  little  hare  thought:  "This  earth  is 
certainly  collapsing!"  And  springing  to  his  feet,  back  he  ran, 
without  so  much  as  taking  a  look.  As  he  was  running  away  as  fast 
as  he  could  in  fear  of  death,  another  little  hare  saw  him  and 
asked:  "Why,  pray,  are  you  running  away  in  such  a  fright.?" 
"Oh,  don't  ask  me!"  And  he  kept  right  on  running,  in  spite  of  the 
fact  that  the  other  little  hare  kept  asking:  "Oh!  what  is  it.?  Oh! 
what  is  it.?"  The  other  little  hare  turned  around,  and  without  so 
much  as  taking  a  look,  said:  "The  earth  is  collapsing  here!"  He 
also  ran  away,  following  the  first. 

In  the  same  way  a  third  little  hare  saw  the  second,  and  a  fourth 
the  third,  until  finally  there  were  a  hundred  thousand  little  hares 
running  away  together.  A  deer  saw  them, — also  a  boar,  an  elk, 
a  buffalo,  an  ox,  a  rhinoceros,  a  tiger,  a  lion,  and  an  elephant. 
Seeing,  each  asked  :  "What's  this .?"  "The  earth  is  collapsing  here !" 
Each  ran  away.  Thus,  in  the  course  of  time,  there  was  an  army  of 
animals  a  league  in  size. 

At  that  time  the  Future  Buddha,  seeing  that  army  running 
away,  asked:  "What's  this.?"  "The  earth  is  collapsing  here!" 
When  the  Future  Buddlia  heard  this,  he  thought :  "No  such  tiling ! 
The  eartli  is  collapsing  nowhere!  It  must  certainly  be  that  they 
failed  to  understand  something  they  heard.  But  if  I  do  not  put 
forth  effort,  they  will  all  perish.  I  will  grant  them  their  lives." 

With  the  speed  of  a  lion  he  preceded  them  to  the  foot  of  a 
mountain  and  thrice  roared  the  roar  of  a  lion.  Terrified  with  fear 
of  the  lion,  they  turned  around  and  stood  all  huddled  together. 


Par.  15.]  Buddhist  He nny-Pen7iy  57 

The  lion  made  his  way  in  among  them  and  asked:  "Why  are  you 
running  away.'"'  "The  earth  is  collapsing!"  "Who  saw  it  col- 
lapsing.f"'  "The  elephants  know."  He  asked  the  elephants.  Said  the 
elephants :  "We  don't  know ;  the  lions  know."  Said  the  lions :  "We 
don't  know ;  the  tigers  know."  The  tigers :  "The  rhinoceroses 
know."  The  rhinoceroses :  "The  oxen  know."  The  oxen :  "The 
buffaloes."  The  buffaloes:  "The  elks."  The  elks:  "The  boars." 
The  boars:  "The  deer."  The  deer:  "We  don't  know;  the  little 
hares  know." 

When  the  little  hares  were  asked,  they  pointed  out  that  little 
hare  and  said :  "He's  the  one  that  told  us."  So  the  lion  asked  the 
little  hare:  "Friend,  is  it  true,  as  you  say,  that  the  earth  is  col- 
lapsing.?" "Yes,  master,  I  saw  it."  "Where  were  you  living  when 
you  saw  it.?"  asked  the  lion.  "Near  the  Western  Ocean,  in  a  grove 
of  cocoanut  trees  mingled  with  Vilva  trees.  For  there,  at  the  foot 
of  a  Vilva  tree,  under  a  cocoanut  sapling,  beneath  a  cocoanut  leaf, 
I  lay  and  thought:  'If  the  earth  collapses,  where  shall  I  go.?'  That 
very  instant  I  heard  the  sound  of  the  earth  collapsing.  So  I  ran 


awav." 


The  lion  thought:  "Evidently  a  Vilva  fruit  fell  on  top  of  that 
cocoanut  leaf  and  made  a  'rat-a-tat,'  and  this  hare  here,  hearing 
that  sound,  came  to  the  conclusion:  'The  earth  is  collapsing!'  I 
will  find  out  for  a  fact."  So  the  lion,  taking  the  little  hare  with  him, 
reassured  the  throng,  saying:  "I  am  going  to  find  out  for  a  fact 
whether  or  not  the  earth  collapsed  at  the  spot  where  the  little  hare 
saw  what  he  saw;  having  so  done,  I  will  return.  Until  I  return, 
all  of  you  remain  right  here." 

So  taking  the  little  hare  on  his  back,  he  sprang  forward  with 
the  speed  of  a  lion.  And  setting  the  little  hare  down  in  the  cocoa- 
nut  grove,  he  said:  "Come,  show  me  the  spot  where  you  saw  what 
you  saw."  "I  don't  dare,  master."  "Come,  don't  be  afraid."  The 
little  hare,  not  daring  to  approach  the  Vilva  tree,  stood  no  great 
distance  off  and  said:  "That,  master,  is  the  spot  where  it  went 
'rat-a-tat.'  "  So  saying,  he  uttered  the  first  stanza: 

"Rat-a-tat"  it  went, — I  wish  you  luck, — 
In  the  region  where  I  dwell. 
But  as  for  me,  I  do  not  know 
What  made  that  "rat-a-tat." 


58  Much  Ado  about  Nothing  [Chap.  III. 

When  the  little  hare  said  this,  the  lion  went  to  the  foot  of  the 
Vilva  tree,  looked  at  the  spot  beneath  the  cocoanut  leaf  where  the 
little  hare  had  lain,  and  observed  that  a  Vilva  fruit  had  fallen  on 
top  of  the  cocoanut  leaf.  And  knowing  for  a  fact  that  the  earth 
had  not  collapsed,  he  took  the  little  hare  on  his  back,  went  quickly, 
with  the  speed  of  a  lion,  to  the  assemblage  of  animals,  informed 
them  of  all  the  facts,  reassured  the  throng  of  animals  by  saying, 
"Fear  not,"  and  released  the  little  hare. 

For  if,  at  that  time,  the  Future  Buddha  had  not  come  to  the 
rescue,  they  would  all  have  run  down  into  the  sea  and  perished. 
It  was  through  the  Future  Buddha  that  they  obtained  their  lives. 

Hearing  a  Vilva  fruit  fall, — "rat-a-tat," — the  hare  ran. 
Hearing  the  hare's  words,  a  host  of  animals  were  frightened. 

Those  who  have  not  attained  consciousness  of  their  portion, 
Those  who  follow  the  voice  of  others. 
Those  who  are  given  to  heedlessness, — the  foolish, — 
They  attain  what  others  attain. 

But  those  who  are  endowed  with  morality, 

Those  who  dehght  in  the  tranquillity  of  wisdom. 

Those  who  abstain  and  refrain  from  worldly  delights, — the  wise, — 

They  attain  not  what  others  attain. 

(These  three  stanzas  were  uttered  by  the  Supremely  Enlightened 

One.) 

When  the  Teacher  had  related  this  parable,  he  identified  the  per- 
sonages in  the  Birth-story  as  follows:  "At  that  time  the  lion  was  I 
myself." 


CHAPTER  IV 

PARABLES  FROM  THE  BOOK  OF  THE  BUDDHA'S  PRE- 
VIOUS EXISTENCES  IN  EARLY  AND  LATE  FORMS 

16.  PARTRIDGE,  MONKEY,  AND  ELEPHANT 

Reverence  your  elders. 

A.  Canonical  version. 
Vinaya  ii.  161-163. 

On  a  certain  occasion  the  Exalted  One  admonished  a  company  of 
monks  to  show  proper  respect  for  their  elders.  Said  he: 

In  former  times,  monks,  on  a  slope  of  Himavat,  grew  a  huge 
banyan  tree.  Near  it  lived  three  friends :  a  partridge  and  a  monkey 
and  an  elephant.  They  lived  without  respect  or  deference  for  each 
other,  having  no  common  life.  Now,  monks,  to  these  friends  oc- 
curred the  following  thought :  "If  only  we  knew  which  one  of  us 
was  the  oldest,  we  would  respect,  reverence,  venerate,  and  honor 
him,  and  we  would  abide  steadfast  in  his  admonitions." 

Accordingly,  monks,  the  partridge  and  the  monkey  asked  the 
elephant:  "How  far  back  sir,  can  you  remember .P"  "Sirs,  when  I 
was  a  youngster,  I  used  to  walk  over  this  banyan  tree,  keeping  it 
between  my  thighs ;  the  little  tips  of  the  shoots  would  just  touch 
my  belly.  As  far  back  as  that,  sirs,  can  I  remember." 

Next,  monks,  the  partridge  and  the  elephant  asked  the  monkey : 
"How  far  back,  sir,  can  you  remember .P"  "Sirs,  when  I  was  a 
youngster,  I  used  to  sit  on  the  ground  and  eat  the  little  tips  of  the 
shoots  of  this  banyan  tree.  As  far  back  as  that,  sirs,  can  I 
remember." 

Finally,  monks,  the  monkey  and  the  elephant  asked  the 
partridge:  "How  far  back,  sir,  can  you  remember .P"  "In  yonder 
open  space,  sirs,  grew  a  huge  banyan  tree.  I  ate  one  of  its  fruits 


60  Reverence  Your  Elders  [Chap.  IV. 

and  voided  the  seed  in  this  place.  From  that  sprang  this  banyan 
tree.  At  that  time  also,  sirs,  I  was  the  oldest." 

Thereupon,  monks,  the  monkey  and  the  elephant  said  tliis  to 
the  partridge :  "You,  sir,  are  our  elder.  You  will  we  respect,  rever- 
ence, venerate,  and  honor,  and  in  your  admonitions  will  we  abide 
steadfast." 

Accordingly,  monks,  the  partridge  prevailed  upon  the  monkey 
and  the  elephant  to  take  upon  themselves  the  Five  Precepts,  and 
himself  also  took  upon  himself  the  Five  Precepts  and  walked 
therein.  They  lived  in  respect  and  deference  for  each  other,  and 
had  a  common  life.  After  death,  upon  dissolution  of  the  body,  they 
were  reborn  in  a  place  of  bliss,  in  a  heavenly  world.  This,  monks, 
was  called  the  Holy  Life  of  the  Partridge. 

Men  versed  in  the  Law  who  honor  the  aged 
Have  praise  even  in  this  life 
And  in  the  next  life  are  in  bliss. 

B.   Uncanonical  version. 
Jataka  37:1.217-220. 

On  a  certain  occasion  the  Teacher  admonished  a  company  of  monks 
to  show  proper  respect  for  their  elders.  Said  he:  "In  former  times, 
monks,  even  animals  reflected:  'But  it  is  not  becoming  in  us  that  we 
should  live  without  respect  or  deference  for  each  other,  having  no 
common  life.  Let  us  find  out  which  one  of  us  is  the  oldest,  and  to  him 
let  us  offer  respectful  greetings  and  the  other  marks  of  courtesy.' 
And  when,  after  diligent  inquiry,  they  knew,  'He  is  our  elder,'  to  him 
did  they  offer  respectful  greetings  and  the  other  marks  of  courtesy. 
And  having  so  done,  they  de]iarted,  fulfilling  the  Path  to  Heaven."  So 
saying,  he  related  the  following  Story  of  the  Past: 

In  times  past,  on  a  slope  of  Himavat,  near  a  certain  huge  banyan 
tree,  lived  three  friends :  a  partridge,  a  monkey,  an  elephant. 
They  were  without  respect  or  deference  for  each  other,  having  no 
common  life.  And  to  them  occurred  the  following  thought:  "It  is 
not  proper  for  us  to  live  thus.  Suppose  we  were  to  live  hereafter 
offering  respectful  greetings  and  the  other  marks  of  courtesy  to 
that  one  of  us  who  is  the  oldest !"  "But  which  one  of  us  is  the 
oldest.''"  they  considered.  "This  is  the  way!"  said  the  three  animals 
one  day  as  they  sat  at  the  foot  of  the  banyan  tree. 

So  the  partridge  and  the  monke}'  asked  the  elephant :  "Master 


Par.  16.]  Bird,  Monkey,  Elephant  61 

elephant,  since  how  long  have  you  known  this  banyan  tree.?"  He 
said:  "Friends,  when  I  was  a  young  elephant,  I  used  to  go  with 
this  banyan  sapling  between  my  thighs.  Moreover,  when  I  stood 
with  the  tree  between  my  thighs,  the  tips  of  its  branches  used  to 
rub  against  my  navel.  Thus  I  have  known  this  tree  from  the  time 
it  was  a  sapling." 

Next  the  other  two  animals,  in  the  same  way  as  before,  asked 
the  monkey.  He  said:  "Friends,  when  I  was  a  young  monkey,  I 
used  to  sit  on  the  earth,  extend  my  neck,  and  eat  the  tips  of  the 
shoots  of  this  banyan  tree.  Thus  I  have  known  it  since  it  was 
very  small." 

Finally  the  other  two  animals,  in  the  same  way  as  before,  asked 
the  partridge.  He  said :  "Friends,  in  former  times,  in  such-and- 
such  a  place,  grew  a  huge  banyan  tree.  I  ate  its  fruits  and  voided 
its  seed  in  this  place.  From  that  sprang  this  tree.  Thus  I  know 
this  tree  from  the  time  when  it  had  not  yet  sprouted.  Therefore  I 
am  older  than  you."  Thus  spoke  the  partridge. 

Thereupon  the  monkey  and  the  elephant  said  to  the  wise  par- 
tridge :  "Master,  you  are  older  than  we.  Henceforth  to  you  will 
we  offer  respect,  reverence,  veneration,  salutation,  and  honor;  to 
you  will  we  offer  respectful  greeting,  rising  on  meeting,  homage 
with  joined  hands,  and  proper  courtesy;  in  your  admonitions  will 
we  abide  steadfast.  From  this  time  forth,  therefore,  be  good 
enough  to  give  us  admonition  and  needed  instruction." 

From  that  time  forth  the  partridge  gave  them  admonition, 
established  them  in  the  Precepts,  and  himself  also  took  upon  him- 
self the  Precepts.  And  those  three  animals,  established  in  the 
Precepts,  showed  respect  and  deference  for  each  other,  and  had 
a  common  life.  When  their  life  was  come  to  an  end,  they  attained 
the  goal  of  a  heavenly  world.  The  taking  upon  themselves  by  these 
three  animals  of  the  Precepts  was  called  the  Holy  Life  of  the 
Partridge. 

"For,  monks,  those  animals  lived  in  respect  and  deference  for  each 
other.  Why  is  it  that  you,  who  have  retired  from  the  world  under  a 
Doctrine  and  Discipline  so  well  taught,  do  not  live  in  respect  and 
deference  for  each  other?" 

When  the  Teacher  had  thus  related  this  parable,  he  assumed  the 
prerogative  of  One  Supremely  Enlightened  and  uttered  the  following 
stanza: 


62  Walk  in  Lawful  Ground  [Chap.  IV. 

Men  versed  in  the  Law  who  honor  the  asred 
Have  praise  even  in  this  life 
And  in  the  next  life  are  in  bliss. 

When  the  Teacher  had  thus  extolled  the  practice  of  honoring  the 
oldest,  he  joined  the  connection  and  identified  the  personages  in  the 
Birth-story  as  follows :  "At  that  time  the  elephant  was  Moggallana, 
the  monkey  was  Sariputta,  but  the  wise  partridge  was  I  myself." 


17.  THE  HAWK 
Walk  not  in  forbidden  ground. 

A.  Canonical  version. 
Samyutta  v.  146-148. 

Thus  have  I  heard:  Once  upon  a  time  the  Exalted  One  was  in  residence 
at  Savatthi,  at  Jetavana,  in  Anathapindika's  Grove.  At  that  time  the 
Exalted  One  addressed  the  monks:  "Monks!"  "Reverend  Sir!"  replied 
those  monks  to  the  Exalted  One.  The  Exalted  One  said  this: 

In  olden  times,  monks,  a  hawk  attacked  a  quail  with  violence  and 
caught  it.  Now,  monks,  as  the  hawk  was  carrying  off  the  quail, 
the  quail  thus  lamented :  "I  am  indeed  unfortunate,  I  possess  little 
merit, — I  who  walked  in  forbidden  ground,  in  a  foreign  region. 
If  to-day  I  had  walked  in  my  own  ground,  in  the  region  of  my 
fathers,  this  hawk  would  not  have  been  equal  to  a  combat  with 
me." 

"But,  quail,  what  is  your  feeding-ground.''  What  is  the  region 
of  your  fathers.'"' 

"A  field  of  clods,  turned  up  by  the  plow." 

Then,  monks,  the  hawk,  not  exerting  his  strength,  not  asserting 
his  strength,  released  the  quail.  "Go,  quail!  Even  there  you  will 
not  escape  from  me."  Then,  monks,  the  quail  went  to  the  field  of 
clods,  turned  up  by  the  plow,  and  mounting  a  big  clod,  stood  and 
called  the  hawk :  "Come  now,  hawk,  I  dare  you !  Come  now,  hawk, 
I  dare  you !" 

Then,  monks,  the  hawk,  not  exerting  his  strength,  not  asserting 
his  strength,  flapped  both  his  wings  and  attacked  the  quail  with 
violence.  When,  monks,  the  quail  knew:  "This  hawk  is  coming 
for  me  with  a  vengeance!"  he  entered  a  crack  in  that  very  clod. 
And,  monks,  the  hawk  struck  his  breast  against  that  very  clod. 


Par.  17.]  The  Hawk  63 

"For,  monks,  so  it  goes  with  whoever  walks  in  forbidden  ground,  in 
a  foreign  region.  Therefore,  monks,  walk  not  in  forbidden  ground,  in 
a  foreign  region.  If,  monks,  you  walk  in  forbidden  ground,  in  a  foreign 
region,  the  Evil  One  will  obtain  entrance,  the  Evil  One  will  obtain 
lodgment.  And  what,  monks,  is  forbidden  ground,  a  foreign  region? 
The  Five  Pleasures  of  Sense.  What  are  the  Five?  Pleasurable  Sights, 
Sounds,  Odors,  Tastes,  Contacts.  And  what,  monks,  is  lawful  ground, 
the  region  of  the  fathers?  The  Four  Earnest  Meditations.  What  are  the 
Four?  Meditation  on  the  Body,  on  the  Sensations,  on  the  Thoughts,  on 
the  Conditions  of  Existence.  Walk,  monks,  in  lawful  ground,  in  the 
region  of  the  fathers.  If,  monks,  you  walk  in  lawful  ground,  in  the 
region  of  the  fathers,  the  Evil  One  will  not  obtain  entrance,  the  Evil 
One  will  not  obtain  lodgment." 

B.  Uncanonical  version. 
Jataka  168:11.58-60. 

A  hawk  flying  strong.  This  stanza  was  recited  by  the  Teacher  while 
in  residence  at  Jetavana  to  explain  his  own  meaning  in  the  Parable  of 
the  Bird.  For  one  day  the  Teacher  addressed  the  monks:  "Walk, 
monks,  in  lawful  ground,  in  the  region  of  the  fathers."  So  saying,  he 
recited  the  Samyutta  Suttanta  found  in  the  Mahavagga.  Then  he  said: 
"You  just  stay  where  you  belong.  In  former  times  even  animals,  be- 
cause they  left  their  own  ancestral  region  and  walked  in  forbidden 
ground,  fell  into  the  hands  of  their  enemies,  but  through  their  own 
intelligence  and  resourcefulness  escaped  from  the  hands  of  their 
enemies."  So  saying,  he  related  the  following  Story  of  the  Past: 

In  times  past,  when  Brahmadatta  ruled  at  Benares,  the  Future 
Buddha  was  reborn  as  a  quail,  and  made  his  home  in  a  field  of 
clods,  turned  up  by  the  plow.  One  day  he  said  to  himself:  "I  will 
seek  food  in  a  foreign  region."  So  he  left  off  seeking  food  in  his 
own  region  and  went  to  the  edge  of  a  wood.  Now  while  he  was 
picking  up  food  there,  a  hawk  saw  him  and  attacked  him  with 
violence  and  caught  him.  As  the  hawk  was  carrying  off  the  quail, 
the  quail  thus  lamented:  "I  am  indeed  mighty  unfortunate,  I 
possess  very  little  merit, — I  who  walked  in  forbidden  ground,  in 
a  foreign  region.  If  to-day  I  had  walked  in  my  own  ground,  in  the 
region  of  my  fathers,  this  quail  would  certainly  not  have  been 
equal  to  coming  to  a  combat  with  me." 

"But,  quail,  what  is  your  feeding-ground.''  What  is  the  region 
of  your  fathers.''" 

"A  field  of  clods,  turned  up  by  the  plow." 

Then  the  hawk,  not  exerting  his  strength,  released  him.  "Go, 


64  Walk  in  Lawful  Ground  [Chap,  IV. 

quail !  Even  there  you  will  not  escape."  The  quail  went  there,  and 
mounting  a  big  clod,  stood  and  cried  to  the  hawk:  "Come  now, 
hawk !" 

The  hawk,  exerting  his  strength,  flapped  both  his  wings  and 
attacked  the  quail  with  violence.  But  when  the  quail  knew :  "This 
hawk  is  coming  for  me  with  a  vengeance !"  he  turned  and  entered 
a  crack  in  that  very  clod.  The  hawk,  unable  to  check  his  speed, 
struck  his  breast  against  that  very  clod.  Thus  the  hawk,  with 
heart  broken  and  eyes  bulging  out,  met  destruction. 

When  the  Teacher  had  related  this  Story  of  the  Past,  he  said:  "Thus, 
monks,  even  animals,  when  they  walk  in  forbidden  ground,  fall  into 
the  hands  of  their  adversaries ;  but  when  they  walk  in  their  own 
ground,  in  the  region  of  their  fathers,  they  humble  their  adversaries. 
Therefore  you  also  must  not  walk  in  forbidden  ground,  in  a  foreign 
region.  If,  monks,  you  walk  in  forbidden  ground,  in  a  foreign  region, 
the  Evil  One  will  obtain  entrance,  the  Evil  One  will  obtain  lodgment. 
If,  monks,  you  walk  in  lawful  ground,  in  the  region  of  the  fathers, 
the  Evil  One  will  not  obtain  entrance,  the  Evil  One  will  not  obtain 
lodgment."  Then,  revealing  his  omniscience,  he  uttered  the  first  stanza: 

A  hawk  flying  strong,  attacked  with  violence 

A  quail  standing  in  his  feeding-ground,  and  thus  met  death. 

Now  when  the  hawk  had  thus  met  his  death,  the  quail  came  out 
and  exclaimed:  "I  have  seen  the  back  of  my  enemy !"  And  standing 
on  his  heart  and  breathing  forth  a  solemn  utterance,  the  quail 
uttered  the  second  stanza  : 

Endowed  with  sense,  delighting  in  my  own  feeding-ground, 
My  enemy  gone,  I  rejoice,  intent  on  my  own  good. 

The  Teacher,  having  proclaimed  the  Truths  by  the  narration  of  this 
fable,  identified  the  personages  in  the  Birth-story  as  follows:  "At 
that  time  the  hawk  was  Devadatta,  but  the  quail  was  I  myself." 

18.  SNAKE-CHARM 
A  blessing  upon  all  living  beings! 

A.  Canonical  version. 
Vinayaii.  109-110. 

Now  at  that  time  a  certain  monk  was  bitten  by  a  snake  and  died.  They 
reported  that  fact  to  the  Exalted  One. 

Assuredly,  monks,  that  monk  had  not  suffused  the  four  royal 
families   of   snakes   with   friendly   thoughts.   For,   monks,   if  that 


Par.  18.]  Snake-charm  65 

monk  had  suffused  the  four  royal  families  of  snakes  with  friendly 
thoughts,  in  that  case,  monks,  that  monk  would  not  have  been 
bitten  by  a  snake  and  died. 

What  are  the  four  royal  families  of  snakes.'' 

The  Virupakkhas  are  a  royal  family  of  snakes. 

The  Erapathas  are  a  royal  family  of  snakes. 

The  Chabyaputtas  are  a  royal  family  of  snakes. 

The  Kanhagotamakas  are  a  royal  family  of  snakes. 

Assuredly,  monks,  that  monk  had  not  suffused  the  four  royal 
families  of  snakes  with  friendly  thoughts.  For,  monks,  if  that 
monk  had  suffused  the  four  royal  families  of  snakes  with  friendly 
thoughts,  in  that  case,  monks,  that  monk  would  not  have  been 
bitten  by  a  snake  and  died. 

I  permit  you,  monks,  to  suffuse  these  four  royal  families  of 
snakes  with  friendly  thoughts ;  for  self-preservation,  for  self- 
defense,  to  effect  Protection  of  Self.  And  this,  monks,  may  be 
effected  in  the  following  way : 

There  is  friendship  'twixt  me  and  Viriipakkha  snakes, 
There  is  friendship  'twixt  me  and  Erapatha  snakes. 
There  is  friendship  'twixt  me  and  Chabyaputta  snakes, 
There  is  friendship  'twixt  me  and  Kanhagotamaka  snakes. 

There  is  friendship  'twixt  me  and  living  beings  without  feet. 
There  is  friendship  'twixt  me  and  living  beings  with  two  feet. 
There  is  friendshii?  'twixt  me  and  living  beings  with  four  feet. 
There  is  friendship   twixt  me  and  living  beings  with  many  feet. 

Let  no  living  being  without  feet  injure  me! 
Let  no  living  being  with  two  feet  injure  me! 
Let  no  living  being  with  four  feet  injure  me ! 
Let  no  living  being  with  many  feet  injure  me! 

Let  all  creatures  that  live, — let  all  creatures  that  breathe, — 
Let  all  creatures  that  exist, — one  and  all, — 

Let  all  meet  with  prosperity ! 

Let  none  come  unto  any  adversity  ! 

Infinite  is  the  Buddha !  Infinite  is  the  Doctrine !  Infinite  is  the 
Order ! 

Finite  are  creeping  things, — snakes  and  scorpions,  centipedes, 
spiders  and  lizards,  rats  and  mice ! 

I  have  wrought  defense  for  myself !  I  have  wrought  protection  for 
myself ! 


66  Cultivate  Friendliness  [Chap.  IV. 

Begone,  living  beings ! 

I  here  do  homage  to  the  Exalted  One  and  to  the  Seven  Supreme 
Buddhas ! 

B.  Uncanonical  version. 
Jataka203:ii.  144-148. 

There  is  friendship  'twixt  me  and  Firupakkha  snakes.  This  parable 
was  related  by  the  Teacher  while  he  was  in  residence  at  Jetavana  with 
reference  to  a  certain  monk. 

The  story  goes  that  while  he  was  splitting  wood  at  the  door  of  the 
room  where  the  monks  took  hot  baths,  a  snake  came  out  of  a  hole  in  a 
rotten  log  and  bit  him  on  the  big  toe.  He  died  on  the  spot.  The  news 
of  his  death  and  of  how  he  came  to  die  spread  throughout  the  monas- 
tery. In  the  Hall  of  Truth  the  monks  began  to  discuss  the  incident: 
"Brethren,  such-and-such  a  monk,  they  say,  while  splitting  wood  at  the 
door  of  the  room  where  the  monks  take  hot  baths,  was  bitten  by  a 
snake  and  died  on  the  spot." 

The  Teacher  drew  near  and  inquired:  "Monks,  what  is  the  subject 
that  engages  your  attention  as  you  sit  here  all  gathered  together?" 
"Such-and-such,"  said  they.  "Monks,"  said  the  Teacher,  "if  that  monk 
had  cultivated  friendship  for  the  four  royal  families  of  snakes,  the 
snake  would  not  have  bitten  him.  For  even  ascetics  of  old,  before  a 
Buddha  had  arisen,  cultivated  friendship  for  the  four  royal  families 
of  snakes,  and  thus  obtained  deliverance  from  the  perils  that  arose 
through  those  royal  families  of  snakes."  So  saying,  he  related  the 
following  Story  of  the  Past: 

In  times  past,  when  Brahmadatta  ruled  at  Benares,  the  Future 
Buddha  was  reborn  in  the  kingdom  of  Kasi  in  the  household  of  a 
Brahman.  When  he  reached  manhood,  he  renounced  the  pleasures 
of  sense,  retired  from  the  world  and  adopted  the  life  of  an  ascetic, 
and  developed  the  Supernatural  Powers  and  the  Attainments.  By 
supernatural  power,  in  the  region  of  Himavat,  at  a  bend  in  the 
Ganges,  he  created  a  hermitage,  and  there  he  resided,  surrounded 
by  a  company  of  ascetics,  diverting  himself  with  the  diversions  of 
the  Trances. 

At  that  time,  on  the  bank  of  the  Ganges,  reptiles  of  various 
kinds  wrought  such  havoc  among  the  ascetics  that  many  of  them 
lost  their  lives.  Ascetics  reported  that  fact  to  the  Future  Buddha. 
The  Future  Buddha  caused  all  of  the  ascetics  to  be  assembled,  and 
said  to  them :  "If  you  would  cultivate  friendship  for  the  four  royal 


Par.  18.]  Snake-charm  67 

families  of  snakes,  the  snakes  would  not  bite  you.  Therefoi-e  from 
this  time  forth,  cultivate  friendship  for  the  four  royal  families 
of  snakes  in  the  following  way."  So  saying,  he  recited  this  stanza : 

There  is  friendship  'twixt  me  and  Viriipakkha  snakes, 
There  is  friendship  'twixt  me  and  Erapatha  snakes, 
There  is  friendship  'twixt  me  and  Chabyaputta  snakes, 
There  is  friendship  'twixt  me  and  Kanhagotamaka  snakes. 

Having  thus  pointed  out  to  them  the  four  royal  families  of 
serpents,  he  said :  "In  case  you  are  successful  in  cultivating  friend- 
ship for  these,  reptiles  will  not  bite  you  or  annoy  you."  So  saying, 
he  recited  the  second  stanza : 

There  is  friendsliip  'twixt  me  and  living  beings  without  feet. 
There  is  friendship  'twixt  me  and  living  beings  with  two  feet, 
There  is  friendship  'twixt  me  and  living  beings  with  four  feet, 
There  is  friendship  'twixt  me  and  living  beings  with  many  feet. 

Having  thus  set  forth  Cultivation  of  Friendship  in  the  usual 
form,  he  next  set  it  forth  bj^  way  of  prayer,  reciting  this  stanza: 

Let  no  living  being  without  feet  in j  ure  me ! 
Let  no  living  being  with  two  feet  injure  me! 
Let  no  living  being  with  four  feet  injure  me! 
Let  no  living  being  with  many  feet  injure  me! 

Next,  setting  forth  Cultivation  of  Friendship  without  respect 
of  persons,  he  recited  this  stanza : 

Let  all  creatures  that  live, — let  all  creatures  that  breathe, — 
Let  all  creatures  that  exist, — one  and  all, — 

Let  all  meet  with  prosperity ! 

Let  none  come  unto  any  adversity ! 

"Thus,"  said  he,  "cultivate  friendship  for  all  living  beings 
without  respect  of  persons."  Having  so  said,  he  spoke  once  more, 
to  bid  them  meditate  on  the  virtues  of  the  Three  Jewels.  Said  he: 
"Infinite  is  the  Buddha !  Infinite  is  the  Doctrine !  Infinite  is  the 
Order !" 

When  the  Future  Buddha  had  thus  pointed  out  that  the  virtues 
of  the  Three  Jewels  are  infinite,  he  said:  "Meditate  on  the  virtues 
of  these  Three  Jewels."  Having  so  said,  in  order  to  point  out  that 
living  beings  are  finite,  he  continued :  "Finite  are  creeping  things, 
— snakes,  scorpions,  centipedes,  spiders,  lizards,  rats  and  mice!" 


68  Nobody  Loves  a  Beggar  [Chap.  IV. 

Having  so  said,  the  Future  Buddha  declared:  "Since  lust,  ill- 
will,  and  delusion,  which  exist  in  these  creatures,  are  the  qualities 
which  make  creatures  finite,  therefore  these  creeping  things  are 
finite."  And  he  said :  "By  the  supernatural  power  of  the  Three 
Jewels,  which  are  infinite,  let  those  of  us  who  are  finite,  obtain  pro- 
tection for  ourselves  both  by  night  and  by  day."  And  he  said: 
"Thus  meditate  on  the  virtues  of  the  Three  Jewels."  Having  so 
said,  in  order  to  point  out  what  more  must  yet  be  done,  he  recited 
this  stanza : 

I  have  wrought  defense  for  myself ! 
I  have  wrought  protection  for  mj'self ! 
Begone,  living  beings ! 
I  here  do  homage  to  the  Exalted  One 
And  to  the  Seven  Supreme  Buddhas ! 

Said  the  Future  Buddha :  "In  the  very  act  of  rendering  homage, 
meditate  on  the  Seven  Buddhas."  Thus  the  Future  Buddha  com- 
posed this  protective  charm  for  the  company  of  ascetics  and  gave 
it  to  them. 

From  that  time  on  the  company  of  ascetics,  abiding  steadfast 
in  the  admonition  of  the  Future  Buddha,  cultivated  friendliness, 
meditated  on  the  virtues  of  the  Buddhas.  Even  as  they  thus  medi- 
tated on  the  virtues  of  the  Buddhas,  all  of  the  reptiles  disappeared. 
As  for  the  Future  Buddha,  through  the  cultivation  of  the  Exalted 
States,  he  attained  the  goal  of  the  World  of  Brahma. 


19.  DRAGON  JEWEL-NECK 
Nobody  loves  a  beggar. 

A.  Canonical  version. 
Vinaya  ill.  145-147. 

On  a  certain  occasion  the  Exalted  One  reproved  the  monks  for  begging. 
Said  he: 

In  olden  times  two  ascetics,  brothers,  lived  by  the  Ganges  river. 
Now  Jewel-neck,  a  dragon-king,  came  out  of  the  Ganges,  ap- 
proached the  younger  ascetic,  and  having  approached,  encircled 
the  younger  ascetic  seven  times  with  his  coils  and  rose  and  spread 
his  huge  hood  over  his  head.  And  the  younger  ascetic,  for  fear  of 


Par.  19.]  Dragon  Jewel-nech  69 

that  dragon,  became  lean,  dried-up,  pale,  yellow  as  ever  was 
yellow,  his  body  strewn  with  veins. 

The  older  ascetic  saw  the  younger  ascetic  lean,  dried-up,  pale, 
yellow  as  ever  was  yellow,  his  body  strewn  with  veins.  Seeing,  he 
said  this  to  the  younger  ascetic :  "Why  are  you  lean,  dried-up, 
pale,  yellow  as  ever  was  yellow,  your  body  strewn  with  veins.'"' 
"While  I  was  here.  Jewel-neck,  a  dragon-king,  came  out  of  the 
Ganges  river,  approached  me,  and  having  approached,  encircled 
me  seven  times  with  his  coils  and  rose  and  spread  his  huge  hood 
over  my  head.  For  fear  of  him  I  am  lean,  dried-up,  pale,  yellow  as 
ever  was  yellow,  my  body  strewn  with  veins." 

"But  do  you  wish  that  dragon  never  to  come  back  again  .P"  "I 
wish  that  dragon  never  to  come  back  again."  "Well,  but  do  you 
see  anything  on  that  dragon .P"  "I  see  he  wears  a  jewel  on  his 
neck."  "Well  then,  ask  that  dragon  for  the  jewel,  saying:  'Give  me 
the  jewel!  I  want  the  jewel!'  " 

Now  Jewel-neck  the  dragon-king  came  out  of  the  Ganges  river, 
approached  the  younger  ascetic,  and  having  approached,  stood 
aside.  As  he  stood  aside,  the  younger  ascetic  said  this  to  Jewel- 
neck  the  dragon-king:  "Give  me  the  jewel!  I  want  the  jewel!" 
Thereupon  Jewel-neck  the  dragon-king,  reflecting,  "The  monk 
begs  the  jewel,  the  monk  wants  the  jewel,"  quickly  enough  de- 
parted. 

Three  times  did  the  younger  ascetic  beg  the  jewel  of  Jewel- 
neck  the  dragon-king,  and  three  times  did  Jewel-neck  the  dragon- 
king  depart.  The  third  time.  Jewel-neck  the  dragon-king  addressed 
the  younger  ascetic  with  stanzas : 

My  food  and  drink,  abundant,  choice, 

I  get  by  the  power  of  this  jewel. 

This  I  will  not  give  you, — you  ask  too  much ; 

Nor  will  I  even  come  back  again  to  your  hermitage. 

Like  a  lad  with  sand-washed  sword  in  hand. 

You  frighten  me,  asking  for  the  stone. 

This  I  will  not  give  you, — you  ask  too  much; 

Nor  will  I  even  come  back  again  to  your  hermitage. 

Thereupon  Jewel-neck  the  dragon-king,  reflecting,  "The  monk 
begs  the  jewel,  the  monk  wants  the  jewel,"  departed.  When  he 
departed,  he  departed  indeed,  and  never  came  back  again.  And 
the  younger  ascetic,  because  he  saw  no  more  that  dragon  so  fair 


70  Nobody  Loves  a  Beggar  [Chap.  IV. 

to  see,  became  more  than  ever  lean,  dried-up,  pale,  yellow  as  ever 
was  yellow,  his  body  strewn  with  veins. 

When  the  older  ascetic  saw  the  younger  ascetic  altered  in  ap- 
pearance, he  inquired  the  reason.  The  younger  ascetic  told  him. 
Then  the  older  ascetic  addressed  the  younger  ascetic  with  a  stanza : 

One  should  not  beg  or  seek  to  get  what  is  dear  to  another. 
Odious  does  one  become  by  asking  overmuch. 
When  the  Brahman  asked  the  dragon  for  the  jewel, 
Never  again  did  the  dragon  let  himself  be  seen. 

"For,  monks,  to  living  beings  in  the  form  of  animals,  begging  is  said 
to  have  been  offensive,  hinting  is  said  to  have  been  offensive.  How 
much  more  so  must  it  be  to  human  beings !" 

B.  Uncanonical  version. 
Jataka  253:11.383-286. 

On  a  certain  occasion  the  Exalted  One  reproved  the  monks  for  beg- 
ging. Said  he:  "Monks,  begging  is  offensive  even  to  dragons,  though  the 
World  of  Dragons  wherein  they  dwell  is  filled  to  overflowing  with  the 
Seven  Jewels.  How  much  more  so  must  it  be  to  human  beings,  from 
whom  it  is  as  difficult  to  wring  a  penny  as  it  is  to  skin  a  flint!"  So 
saying,  he  related  the  following  Story  of  the  Past: 

In  times  past,  when  Brahmadatta  ruled  at  Benares,  the  Future 
Buddha  was  reborn  in  a  Brahman  household  of  great  wealth. 
When  he  was  old  enough  to  walk  and  could  run  hither  and  thither, 
another  being  of  merit  also  received  a  new  conception  in  the 
womb  of  his  mother.  When  both  brothers  reached  manhood,  their 
mother  and  father  died.  In  agitation  of  heart  over  their  death, 
both  brothers  adopted  the  life  of  ascetics,  and  building  leaf-huts 
on  the  bank  of  the  Ganges,  took  up  their  residence  there.  The 
older  brother's  hut  was  up  the  Ganges;  the  younger  brother's 
hut  was  down  the  Ganges. 

Now  one  day  a  dragon-king  named  Jewel-neck  came  forth  from 
the  World  of  Dragons,  walked  along  the  bank  of  the  Ganges  dis- 
guised as  a  Brahman  youth,  came  to  the  hermitage  of  the  younger 
ascetic,  bowed,  and  sat  down  on  one  side.  The  dragon-king  and 
the  younger  ascetic  greeted  each  other  in  a  cordial  manner,  and 
became  fast  friends  and  inseparable  companions. 

Every  day  Jewel-neck  would  come  to  tlie  hermitage  of  the 
younger  ascetic   and   sit  down  and  talk  and  converse  with  him. 


Par.  19.]  Dragon  Jewel-neck  71 

When  it  was  time  for  him  to  go,  out  of  affection  for  the  ascetic 
he  would  lay  aside  his  human  form,  encircle  the  ascetic  with  his 
coils,  and  embrace  him,  holding  his  huge  hood  over  his  head. 
Having  remained  in  this  position  for  a  time,  and  having  dispelled 
his  affection,  he  would  unwind  his  body,  bow  to  the  ascetic,  and 
go  back  again  to  his  own  abode. 

The  ascetic,  for  fear  of  him,  became  lean,  dried-up,  pale,  yellow 
as  ever  was  yellow,  his  body  strewn  with  veins.  One  day  he  went 
to  visit  his  brother.  The  latter  asked  him:  "Why  are  you  lean, 
dried-up,  pale,  yellow  as  ever  was  yellow,  your  body  strewn  with 
veins?"  He  told  him  the  facts.  The  older  ascetic  asked:  "But  do 
you  or  do  you  not  wish  that  dragon  never  to  come  back  again?" 
The  younger  ascetic  said:  "I  do  not."  "But  when  that  dragon- 
king  comes  to  your  hermitage,  what  ornament  does  he  wear?"  "A 
jewel." 

"Well  then,  when  that  dragon-king  comes  to  your  hermitage, 
before  he  has  a  chance  to  sit  down,  ask,  saying:  'Give  me  the 
jewel.'  If  you  do  so,  that  dragon-king  will  depart  without  so 
much  as  encircling  you  with  his  coils.  On  the  next  day  you  must 
stand  at  the  door  of  your  hermitage  and  ask  him  just  as  he 
approaches.  On  the  third  day  you  must  stand  on  the  bank  of  the 
Ganges  and  ask  him  just  as  he  comes  out  of  the  water.  If  you 
do  so,  he  will  not  come  back  to  your  hermitage." 

"Very  well,"  assented  the  ascetic,  and  went  to  his  own  leaf-hut. 
On  the  next  day  the  dragon-king  came  and  stopped  at  the  hermit- 
age. The  moment  he  stopped,  the  ascetic  asked:  "Give  me  this 
jewel  you  wear."  Without  so  much  as  sitting  down,  the  dragon- 
king  fled.  On  the  second  day  the  ascetic,  standing  at  the  door  of 
the  hermitage,  said  to  the  dragon-king  just  as  he  approached: 
"Yesterday  you  would  not  give  me  the  jewel;  to-day  I  must  have 
it."  Without  so  much  as  entering  the  hermitage,  the  dragon-king 
fled.  On  the  third  day  the  ascetic  said  to  the  dragon-king  just  as 
he  came  out  of  the  water:  "This  is  the  third  day  I  have  asked; 
give  me  this  jewel  now."  The  dragon-king,  still  remaining  in  the 
water,  refused  the  ascetic,  reciting  these  two  stanzas : 

My  food  and  drink,  abundant,  choice, 

I  get  by  the  power  of  this  jewel. 

This  I  will  not  give  you, — you  ask  too  much; 

Nor  will  I  even  come  back  again  to  your  hermitage. 


72  Nobody  Loves  a  Beggar  [Chap.  IV. 

Like  a  lad  with  sand-washed  sword  in  hand, 

You  frighten  me,  asking  for  the  stone. 

This  I  will  not  give  you, — you  ask  too  much ; 

Nor  will  I  even  come  back  again  to  your  hermitage. 

So  saying,  that  dragon-king  plunged  into  the  water,  went  back 
to  his  own  World  of  Dragons,  and  never  came  back  again.  And 
that  ascetic,  because  he  saw  no  more  that  dragon-king  so  fair  to 
see,  became  more  than  ever  lean,  dried-up,  pale,  yellow  as  ever  was 
yellow,  his  body  strewn  with  veins. 

Now  the  older  ascetic,  thinking,  "I  will  find  out  how  my  younger 
brother  is  getting  on,"  went  to  visit  him.  Seeing  that  he  was  suffer- 
ing more  than  ever  from  jaundice,  he  said:  "How  comes  it  that 
you  are  suffering  more  than  ever  from  jaundice.?"  "Because  I  see 
no  more  that  dragon  so  fair  to  see."  "This  ascetic  cannot  get 
along  without  the  dragon-king,"  concluded  the  older  ascetic,  and 
recited  the  third  stanza : 

One  should  not  beg  or  seek  to  get  what  is  dear  to  another. 
Odious  does  one  become  by  asking  overmuch. 
When  the  Brahman  asked  the  dragon  for  the  jewel, 
Never  again  did  the  dragon  let  himself  be  seen. 

Having  thus  addressed  him,  the  older  ascetic  comforted  him, 
saying:  "Henceforth  grieve  not;"  and  went  back  again  to  his  own 
hermitage. 

Said  the  Teacher:  "Thus,  monks,  even  to  dragons,  though  the  World 
of  Dragons  wherein  they  dwell  is  filled  to  overflowing  with  the  Seven 
Jewels,  begging  is  offensive.  How  much  more  so  must  it  be  to  human 
beings !"  And  having  completed  this  parable^  he  identified  the  person- 
ages in  the  Birth-story  as  follows:  "At  that  time  the  younger  brother 
was  Ananda,  but  the  older  brother  was  I  myself." 


CHAPTER  V 
PARABLES  FROM  EARLY  SOURCES  ON  DIVERS  SUBJECTS 

20.  THE  BIRDS 

Nobody  loves  a  beggar. 
Vinaya  iii.  147-148. 

On  a  certain  occasion  the  Exalted  One  reproved  the  monks  for  begging. 
Said  he : 

In  olden  times  a  certain  monk  dwelt  on  a  slope  of  Himavat  in  a 
certain  forest-grove.  Not  far  from  that  forest-grove  was  a  great 
marsh,  a  swamp.  Now  a  large  flock  of  birds  sought  food  in  that 
swamp  in  the  daytime,  returning  to  that  forest-grove  at  eventide 
to  roost.  Now  that  monk,  driven  away  by  the  noise  of  that  flock  of 
birds,  approached  me,  and  having  approached,  saluted  me  and  sat 
down  on  one  side.  And  as  he  sat  on  one  side,  I  said  this  to  that 
monk : 

"I  trust,  monk,  that  you  have  suffered  no  discomfort.  I  trust 
that  you  have  received  sufficient  sustenance.  I  trust  that  you  have 
made  your  journey  without  fatigue.  And,  monk,  whence  have  you 
come.?" 

"I  have  suffered  no  discomfort.  Exalted  One.  I  have  received 
sufficient  sustenance.  I  have  made  my  journey  without  fatigue. 
Reverend  Sir,  on  a  slope  of  Himavat  is  a  large  forest-grove.  And 
not  far  from  that  forest-grove  is  a  great  marsh,  a  swamp.  Now 
a  large  flock  of  birds  seek  food  in  that  swamp  in  the  daytime, 
returning  to  that  forest-grove  at  eventide  to  roost.  Thence, 
Reverend  Sir,  do  I  come,  driven  away  by  the  noise  of  that  flock 
of  birds." 

"But,  monk,  do  you  wish  that  flock  of  birds  never  to  come  back 
again.?"  "I  wish  that  flock  of  birds  never  to  come  back  again." 

"Well  then,  monk,  go  there,  plunge  into  that  forest-grove,  and 
throughout  the  watches  of  the  night  cry  out :  'Let  the  pretty  birds 


74  Walk  in  Lawful  Ground  [Chap.  V. 

hear  me,  as  many  as  roost  in  this  forest-grove !  I  want  feathers ! 
Let  the  pretty  birds  each  give  me  a  feather !'  " 

So  that  monk  went  tliere,  plunged  into  that  forest-grove,  and 
throughout  the  watches  of  the  night  cried  out:  "Let  the  pretty 
birds  hear  me,  as  many  as  roost  in  this  forest-grove !  I  want 
feathers !  Let  the  pretty  birds  each  give  me  a  feather !" 

Thereupon  that  flock  of  birds,  reflecting,  "The  monk  begs 
feathers,  the  monk  wants  feathers,"  departed  from  that  forest- 
grove.  When  they  departed,  they  departed  indeed,  and  never  came 
back  again. 

"For,  monks,  to  living  beings  in  the  form  of  animals,  begging  is 
said  to  have  been  offensive,  hinting  is  said  to  have  been  offensive. 
How  much  more  so  must  it  be  to  human  beings !" 

21.  THE  MONKEY 

Walk  not  in  forbidden  ground. 
Samyutta  v.  148-149. 

[Introduction  and  Conclusion  identical  with  Canonical  version  of 
Parable  17.] 

MoxKS,  there  are  regions  of  Himavat  king  of  mountains  that  are 
rough  and  uneven,  where  neither  monkeys  go  nor  men.  Monks, 
there  are  regions  of  Himavat  king  of  mountains  that  are  rough 
and  uneven,  where  monkeys  go  but  men  do  not.  Monks,  there  are 
portions  of  Himavat  king  of  mountains  that  are  smooth  and 
delightful,  where  monkeys  go  and  also  men. 

There,  monks,  cruel  men  spread  lime  in  the  monkey-trails  to 
torment  the  monkeys.  Tliere,  monks,  monkeys  that  are  not  foolish 
and  greedy,  seeing  that  lime,  keep  far  away.  But  the  monkey  that 
is  foolish  and  greedy,  on  approaching  that  lime,  grasps  it  with 
the  hand ;  there  he  sticks !  "I  will  free  my  hand,"  says  he,  and 
grasps  with  his  other  hand ;  there  he  sticks !  "I  will  free  both 
hands,"  says  he,  and  grasps  with  the  foot ;  there  he  sticks !  "I 
will  free  both  hands  and  foot,"  says  he  and  grasps  with  the  other 
foot ;  there  he  sticks  !  "I  will  free  both  hands  and  feet,"  sa^^s  he, 
and  grasps  with  the  snout ;  there  he  sticks ! 

Thus,  monks,  that  monkey,  smeared  with  lime  five  times,  lies  on 
his  breast,  having  met  with  misfortune,  having  met  with  disaster, 


Par.  22.]  Blind  Men  and  Elephant  75 

the  sport  of  the  cruel  man.  Then,  monks,  the  cruel  man  impales 
him,  disposes  of  him  on  that  very  bed  of  coals  prepared  with  sticks 
of  wood,  and  goes  wherever  he  pleases. 

22.  BLIND  MEN  AND  ELEPHANT 

Avoid  vain  ■wrangling. 
Udana  vi.  4:  66-69. 

Thus  have  I  heard:  Once  upon  a  time  the  Exalted  One  was  in  residence 
at  Savatthi,  at  Jetavana,  in  Anathapindika's  Grove.  Now  at  that  time 
there  entered  Savatthi  for  alms  a  company  of  heretics,  both  monks  and 
Brahmans,  wandering  ascetics,  holding  heretical  views,  patient  of 
heresy,  delighting  in  heresy,  relying  upon  the  reliance  of  heretical 
views.  There  were  some  monks  and  Brahmans  who  held  this  doctrine, 
who  held  this  view:  "The  world  is  eternal.  This  view  alone  is  truth; 
any  other  is  folly."  But  there  were  other  monks  and  Brahmans  who 
held  this  view:  ''The  world  is  not  eternal.  This  view  alone  is  truth; 
any  other  is  folly."  Some  held  that  the  world  is  finite,  others  that 
the  world  is  infinite.  Some  held  that  the  soul  and  the  body  are  identical, 
others  that  the  soul  and  the  body  are  distinct.  Some  held  that  the 
Tathagata  exists  after  death,  others  that  the  Tathagata  does  not 
exist  after  death.  Some  held  that  the  Tathagata  both  exists  and  does 
not  exist  after  death,  others  that  the  Tathagata  neither  exists  nor  does 
not  exist  after  death. 

They  quarreled  and  brawled  and  wrangled  and  struck  one  another 
with  the  daggers  of  their  tongues,  saying:  "This  is  right,  that  is  not 
right;"  "This  is  not  right,  that  is  right." 

Now  in  the  morning  a  company  of  monks  put  on  their  under- 
garments, took  bowl  and  robe,  and  entered  Savatthi  for  alms.  And 
when  they  had  made  their  alms-pilgrimage  in  Savatthi,  they  returned 
from  their  pilgrimage.  And  when  they  had  eaten  their  breakfast,  they 
approached  the  Exalted  One.  And  having  approached,  they  saluted 
the  Exalted  One  and  sat  down  on  one  side.  And  sitting  on  one  side, 
those  monks  reported  the  matter  to  the  Exalted  One. 

"The  heretics,  O  monks,  the  wandering  ascetics,  are  blind,  without 
eyes ;  know  not  good,  know  not  evil ;  know  not  right,  know  not  wrong. 
Knowing  not  good,  knowing  not  evil,  knowing  not  right,  knowing  not 
wrong,  they  quarrel  and  brawl  and  wrangle  and  strike  one  another 
with  the  daggers  of  their  tongues,  saying:  'This  is  right,  that  is  not 
right;'  'This  is  not  right,  that  is  right.'  " 

In  olden  times,  in  this  very  city  of  Savatthi,  there  was  a  certain 
king.  And  that  king  ordered  a  certain  man:  "Come,  my  man, 
assemble  in  one  place  all  the  men  in  Savatthi  who  are  blind  from 


76  Avoid  Vain  Wrangling  [Chap.  V. 

birth."  "Yes,  your  majesty,"  said  that  man  to  that  king.  And 
when,  in  obedience  to  the  king's  connnand,  he  had  hiid  hands  on 
all  the  men  in  Savatthi  who  were  blind  from  birth,  he  approached 
that  king.  And  having  approached,  he  said  this  to  that  king: 
"Your  majesty,  the  blind  from  birth  in  Siivatthi  are  assembled 
for  you."  "Very  well !  Now  let  the  blind  men  feel  of  the  elephant." 
"Yes,  your  majest}^,"  said  that  man  to  that  king.  And  in  obedience 
to  the  king's  command  he  let  the  blind  men  feel  of  the  elephant, 
saying:  'This,  O  blind  men,  is  what  an  elephant  is  like.'  " 

Some  of  the  blind  men  he  let  feel  of  the  elephant's  head,  saying : 
"This,  O  blind  men,  is  what  an  elephant  is  like."  Some  of  the  blind 
men  he  let  feel  of  the  elephant's  ears,  saying :  "This,  O  blind  men, 
is  what  an  elephant  is  like."  Some  of  the  blind  men  he  let  feel  of 
the  elephant's  tusks,  saying:  "This,  O  blind  men,  is  what  an 
elephant  is  like."  Others  he  let  feel  of  the  trunk,  saying  the  same. 
Others  he  let  feel  of  the  belly,  others  of  the  legs,  others  of  the 
back,  others  of  the  member,  others  of  the  tail,  saying  to  each  and 
to  all:  "This,  O  blind  men,  is  what  an  elephant  is  like." 

Now  when  that  man  had  let  the  blind  men  feel  of  the  elephant, 
he  approached  that  king.  And  having  approached,  he  said  this  to 
that  king:  "Your  majesty,  those  blind  men  have  felt  of  the  ele- 
phant ;  do  as  you  think  fit." 

Then  that  king  approached  those  blind  men.  And  having  ap- 
proached, he  said  this  to  those  blind  men :  "Blind  men,  have  you 
felt  of  the  elephant.'^"  "Yes,  your  majesty,  we  have  felt  of  the 
elephant."  "Tell  me,  blind  men,  what  is  an  elephant  like.'*" 

The  blind  men  who  had  felt  of  the  elephant's  head,  said :  "Your 
majesty,  an  elephant  is  like  a  water-pot."  The  blind  men  who 
had  felt  of  the  elephant's  ears,  said:  "Your  majesty,  an  elephant 
is  like  a  winnowing-basket."  The  blind  men  who  had  felt  of  the 
elephant's  tusks,  said:  "Your  majesty,  an  elephant  is  like  a  plow- 
share." Those  who  had  felt  of  the  trunk,  said:  "An  elephant  is 
like  a  plow-pole."  Those  who  had  felt  of  the  belly,  said:  "An  ele- 
plant  is  like  a  granary."  Those  who  had  felt  of  the  legs,  said :  "An 
elephant  is  like  pillars."  Those  who  had  felt  of  the  back,  said :  "An 
elephant  is  like  a  mortar,"  Those  who  had  felt  of  the  member,  said : 
"An  elephant  is  like  a  pestle."  The  blind  men  who  had  felt  of  the 
elephant's  tail,  said:  "Your  majesty,  an  elephant  is  like  a  fan." 

And   they   fought   among   themselves   with  their   fists,   saying: 


Par.  23.]  Anger-eating  Ogre  77 

"This  is  what  an  elephant  is  like,  that  is  not  what  an  elephant  is 
like ;"  "This  is  not  what  an  elephant  is  like,  that  is  what  an 
elephant  is  like."  And  thereat  that  king  was  delighted. 

"Precisely  so,  O  monks,  the  heretics,  the  wandering  ascetics,  are 
blind,  without  eyes ;  know  not  good,  know  not  evil ;  know  not  right, 
know  not  wrong.  Knowing  not  good,  knowing  not  evil,  knowing  not 
right,  knowing  not  wrong,  they  quarrel  and  brawl  and  wrangle  and 
strike  one  another  with  the  daggers  of  their  tongues,  saying:  'This  is 
right,  that  is  not  right;'  'This  is  not  right,  that  is  right.'  " 

23.  THE  ANGER-EATING  OGRE 

Refrain  from  anger. 
Samyutta  i.  237-238. 

Thus  have  I  heard:  Once  upon  a  time  the  Exalted  One  was  in  resi- 
dence at  Savatthi,  at  Jetavana,  in  Anathapindika's  Grove.  At  that 
time  the  Exalted  One  addressed  the  monks:  "Monks!"  "Reverend 
Sir!"  said  those  monks  to  the  Exalted  One  in  reply.  The  Exalted  One 
said  this: 

In  former  times,  monks,  a  certain  ogre,  ill-favored,  dwarfish,  sat 
in  the  seat  of  Sakka  king  of  gods.  Thereat,  monks,  the  gods  of 
the  Thirty-three  became  annoyed,  offended,  indignant :  "O  how 
wonderful,  O  how  marvelous,  that  this  ogre,  ill-favored,  dwarfish, 
should  sit  in  the  seat  of  Sakka  king  of  gods !" 

The  more,  monks,  the  gods  of  the  Thirty- three  became  annoyed, 
offended,  indignant,  the  more  did  that  ogre  become  handsome  and 
pleasing  to  look  upon  and  gracious.  Then,  monks,  the  gods  of  the 
Thirty-three  approached  Sakka  king  of  gods.  And  having  ap- 
proached, they  said  this  to  Sakka  king  of  gods : 

"Here,  Sire,  a  certain  ogre,  ill-favored,  dwarfish,  sits  in  your 
seat.  Thereat,  Sire,  the  gods  of  the  Thirty-three  are  annoyed, 
offended,  indignant :  '0  how  wonderful,  O  how  marvelous,  that  this 
ogre,  ill-favored,  dwarfish,  should  sit  in  the  seat  of  Sakka  king 
of  gods !'  The  more,  Sire,  the  gods  of  the  Thirty-three  become 
annoyed,  offended,  indignant,  the  more  does  that  ogre  become 
handsome  and  pleasing  to  look  upon  and  gracious.  For,  Sire,  of 
a  surety  he  must  be  an  anger-eating  ogre !" 

Thereupon,  monks,  Sakka  king  of  gods  approached  that  anger- 
eating  ogre.  And  having  approached,  he  adjusted  his  upper  robe 


78  Refrain  from  Anger  [Cliap.  V. 

so  as  to  cover  one  shoulder  only,  touched  his  right  kneepan  to  the 
ground,  bent  his  joined  hands  in  reverent  salutation  before  that 
anger-eating  ogre,  and  thrice  proclaimed  his  name:  "Sire,  I  am 
Sakka  king  of  gods !  Sire,  I  am  Sakka  king  of  gods !  Sire,  I  am 
Sakka  king  of  gods  !" 

The  more,  monks,  Sakka  king  of  gods  proclaimed  his  name, 
the  more  did  that  ogre  become  ill-favored  and  dwarfish.  And 
having  become  more  ill-favored  and  dwarfish,  he  then  and  there 
disappeared. 

Then,  monks,  Sakka  king  of  gods  sat  down  in  his  own  seat, 
and  appealing  to  the  gods  of  the  Thirty-three,  uttered  at  that 
time  the  following  stanzas : 

I  am  not  easily  vexed  in  spirit, 
I  am  not  easily  led  into  a  turning, 
I  do  not  cherish  anger  long,  be  sure; 
Anger  has  no  abiding-place  in  me. 

I  speak  no  harsh  words  in  anger, 
I  do  not  praise  my  own  virtues^ 
I  restrain  myself. 
Intent  on  my  own  good. 


CHAPTER  VI 

HUMOROUS  PARABLES  FROM  EARLY  AND  LATE 

SOURCES 

24.  MISTRESS  VEDEHIKA 

Patient  is  as  patient  does, 
Majjhima  i.  125-126. 

On  a  certain  occasion  the  Exalted  One  addressed  the  monks  as  fol- 
lows: "Monks,  put  away  evil;  devote  yourselves  to  good  works:  so 
shall  you  obtain  increase,  growth,  development,  in  this  Doctrine  and 
Discipline." 

In  olden  times,  in  this  very  city  of  Savattlii,  lived  a  house-mistress 
named  Vedehika.  Of  Mistress  Vedehika  prevailed  the  following 
excellent  reputation :  "Gentle  is  Mistress  Vedehika,  meek  is  Mis- 
tress Vedehika,  tranquil  is  Mistress  Vedehika."  And  Mistress 
Vedehika  had  a  servant  named  Blackie  who  was  capable  and  in- 
dustrious and  performed  her  duties  well. 

Now  to  Servant  Blackie  occurred  the  following  thought:  "Of 
my  lady  mistress  prevails  the  following  excellent  reputation: 
'Gentle  is  Mistress  Vedehika,  meek  is  Mistress  Vedehika,  tranquil 
is  Mistress  Vedehika.'  But  has  her  ladyship,  in  point  of  fact,  an 
inward  temper  which  she  does  not  reveal,  or  has  she  not.-^  Or  is 
it  solely  because  I  have  performed  these  duties  well  that  her  lad}^- 
ship  does  not  reveal  an  inward  temper  which,  in  point  of  fact, 
she  does  possess; — not  because  she  does  not  possess  it.?  Suppose 
I  were  to  test  her  ladyship  !" 

Accordingly  Servant  Blackie  got  up  late  in  the  day.  And 
Mistress  Vedehika  said  this  to  Servant  Blackie:  "See  here, 
Blackie!"  "What  is  it,  my  lady.?"  "Why  did  you  get  up  so  late.?" 
"For  no  reason  at  all,  my  lady."  "For  no  reason  at  all,  worthless 
servant,  you  got  up  so  late!"  And  Mistress  Vedehika  frowned  in 
anger  and  displeasure. 


80  Patient  Is  As  Patient  Does  [Chap.  VI. 

Then  to  Servant  Blackie  occurred  the  following  thought :  "Her 
ladyship  does,  in  point  of  fact,  possess  an  inward  temper  which 
she  does  not  reveal; — it  is  not  because  she  does  not  possess  it. 
It  is  solely  because  I  have  performed  these  duties  well  that  her 
ladyship  does  not  reveal  an  inward  temper  which,  in  point  of  fact, 
she  does  possess ; — it  is  not  because  she  does  not  possess  it.  Sup- 
pose I  were  to  test  her  ladyship  further !" 

Accordingly  Servant  Blackie  got  up  later  in  the  day.  And 
Mistress  Vedehika  said  this  to  Servant  Blackie :  "See  here, 
Blackie!"  "What  is  it,  my  lady.?"  "Why  did  you  get  up  so  late.?" 
"For  no  reason  at  all,  my  lady."  "For  no  reason  at  all,  worth- 
less servant,  you  got  up  so  late !"  And  in  anger  and  displeasure 
Mistress  Vedehika  gave  vent  to  her  displeasure  in  words. 

Then  to  Servant  Blackie  occurred  the  following  thought :  "Her 
ladyship  does,  in  point  of  fact,  possess  an  inward  temper  which 
she  does  not  reveal ; — it  is  not  because  she  does  not  possess  it.  It 
is  solely  because  I  have  performed  these  duties  well  that  her  lady- 
ship does  not  reveal  an  inward  temper  which,  in  point  of  fact,  she 
does  possess ; — it  is  not  because  she  does  not  possess  it.  Suppose 
I  were  to  test  her  ladyship  further !" 

Accordingly  Servant  Blackie  got  up  even  later  in  the  day.  And 
Mistress  Vedehika  said  this  to  Servant  Blackie :  "See  here, 
Blackie!"  "What  is  it,  my  lady.?"  "Why  did  you  get  up  so  late.?" 
"For  no  reason  at  all,  my  lady."  "For  no  reason  at  all,  worthless 
servant,  you  got  up  so  late !"  And  in  anger  and  displeasure  Mis- 
tress Vedehika  seized  the  pin  of  the  door-bolt  and  gave  her  a  blow 
on  the  head,  breaking  her  head. 

Thereupon  Servant  Blackie,  with  broken  head  streaming  with 
blood,  complained  to  the  neighbors :  "See,  my  lady,  the  work  of 
the  gentle  woman !  See,  my  lady,  the  work  of  the  meek  woman ! 
See,  my  lady,  the  work  of  the  tranquil  woman !  For  this  is  the 
way  a  lady  acts  who  keeps  but  a  single  servant :  'You  got  up  too 
late !'  says  she.  So  what  must  she  do  but  seize  the  pin  of  the  door- 
bolt  and  give  you  a  blow  on  the  head  and  break  your  head !" 

The  result  was  that  after  a  time  Mistress  Vedehika  acquired 
the  following  evil  reputation :  "Cruel  is  Mistress  Vedehika,  no 
meek  woman  is  INIistress  Vedehika,  no  tranquil  woman  is  Misti'ess 
Vedeliika!" 


Par.  25.]  Monkey  and  Dyer  81 

"Precisely  so,  monks,  here  in  this  world,  many  a  monk  is  ever  so 
gentle,  ever  so  meek,  ever  so  tranquil,  so  long  as  unpleasant  remarks 
do  not  reach  him.  But  when,  monks,  unpleasant  remarks  reach  a  monk, 
that  is  the  time  to  find  out  whether  he  is  really  gentle,  really  meek, 
really  tranquil." 

25.  MONKEY  AND  DYER 

The  Doctrine  of  the  Buddha  wears  well. 
Maj jhlma  i.  384-385. 

On  a  certain  occasion  the  householder  Upali,  contrasting  the  teachings 
of  the  Buddha  with  those  of  the  Jains,  spoke  as  follows: 

In  former  times  there  was  a  certain  Brahman,  and  he  was  decrepit, 
grown  old,  aged,  and  he  had  a  young  woman  to  wife,  and  she  was 
pregnant,  about  to  give  birth  to  a  child.  And  that  young  woman 
said  this  to  that  Brahman:  "Go  you,  Brahman,  buy  a  young 
monkey  in  the  shop  and  fetch  him  hither,  that  he  may  be  a  little 
playmate  for  my  little  boy."  Hearing  these  words,  that  Brahman 
said  this  to  that  young  woman:  "Just  wait,  wife,  until  you  give 
birth  to  your  child.  If,  wife,  you  give  birth  to  a  boy,  I  will  buy  a 
young  male  monkey  in  the  shop  and  fetch  him  hither,  that  he  may 
be  a  little  boy-playmate  for  your  little  boy.  On  the  other  hand, 
wife,  if  you  give  birth  to  a  girl,  I  will  buy  a  young  female  monkey 
in  the  shop  and  fetch  her  hither,  that  she  may  be  a  little  girl- 
playmate  for  your  little  girl." 

Twice  and  thrice  that  young  woman  said  this  to  that  Brahman, 
and  twice  and  thrice  that  Brahman  made  the  same  reply. 

But  that  Brahman  was  deeply  attached  to  that  young  woman, 
deeply  in  love  with  her.  Accordingly  he  bought  a  young  male 
monkey  in  the  shop,  carried  him  home,  and  said  this  to  that  young 
woman :  "Here,  wife,  is  a  young  male  monkey  I  bought  in  the  shop 
and  brought  home  to  you,  that  he  may  be  a  little  boy-playmate 
for  your  little  boy."  Hearing  these  words,  that  young  woman 
said  this  to  that  Brahman:  "Go  you,  Braliman,  take  this  young 
male  monkey  and  go  to  Redhand  the  d3'^er,  and  having  gone,  say 
this  to  Redhand  the  dyer:  'I  desire.  Master  Redhand,  to  have 
this  young  male  monkey  colored  and  dyed  with  yellow  dye,  beaten 
up  and  beaten  down,  rubbed  dry  on  both  sides.'  " 

Now  that  Brahman  was  deeply  attached  to  that  young  woman, 


82  Better  an  Enemy  zvith  Sense  [Chap,  VI. 

deeply  in  love  with  her.  Accordingly  he  took  that  young  male 
monkey  and  went  to  Redhand  the  dyer,  and  having  gone,  said  tliis 
to  Redhand  the  d^^er:  "I  desire.  Master  Redhand,  to  have  this 
young  male  monkey  colored  and  dyed  with  yellow  dye,  beaten  up 
and  beaten  down,  rubbed  dry  on  both  sides."  Hearing  these  words, 
Redhand  the  dyer  said  this  to  that  Brahman :  "As  for  this  young 
male  monkey  of  yours,  revered  sir,  he  will  of  course  stand  dyeing, 
but  he  won't  stand  beating  and  rubbing !" 

"Precisely  so,"  said  Upali,  "the  doctrine  of  the  foolish  Jains  will 
stand  dyeing,  for  it  is  a  doctrine  of  foolish  folk, — not  of  wise  men, — 
but  it  will  not  stand  working  or  rubbing." 

Now  after  a  time  that  Brahman  took  a  new  pair  of  cloths  and 
went  to  Redhand  the  dyer,  and  having  gone,  said  this  to  Redhand 
the  d^^er:  "I  desire.  Master  Redhand,  to  have  this  new  pair  of 
cloths  colored  and  dyed  with  yellow  dye,  beaten  up  and  beaten 
down,  rubbed  dry  on  both  sides."  Hearing  these  words,  Redhand 
the  dyer  said  this  to  that  Brahman:  "As  for  this  new  pair  of 
cloths  of  yours,  revered  sir,  they  will  stand  not  only  dyeing  but 
also  beating  and  rubbing." 

"Precisely  so,"  concluded  Upali,  "the  Doctrine  of  that  Exalted  One, 
the  All-Holy,  the  Supremely  Enlightened,  the  Buddha,  will  stand 
dyeing,  for  it  is  a  doctrine  of  wise  men, — not  of  foolish  folk, — and  it 
will  also  stand  working  and  rubbing." 


26.  HOW  NOT  TO  HIT  AN  INSECT 
Better  an  enemy  mitli  sense  than  a  friend  without  it. 

A.  Boy  and  mosquito. 
Jataka  44:1.  246-248. 

Better  an  enemy.  This  parable  was  related  by  the  Teacher  while  he 
was  journeying  from  place  to  place  in  the  country  of  the  Magadhas, 
in  a  certain  little  village,  with  reference  to  some  foolish  villagers. 

The  story  goes  that  once  upon  a  time  the  Tathagata  went  from 
Savatthi  to  the  kingdom  of  Magadha,  and  journeying  about  from  place 
to  place  in  that  kingdom,  arrived  at  a  certain  little  village.  Now  that 
village  was  inliabited  for  the  most  part  by  men  who  were  utter  fools. 
There  one  day  those  utter  fools  of  men  assembled  and  took  counsel 
together,  saying:  "Folks,  when  we  enter  the  forest  and  do  our  work. 


Par.  26.]  Boy  and  Mosquito  83 

the  mosquitoes  eat  us  up,  and  because  of  this  our  work  is  interrupted. 
Let  us,  every  one,  take  bows  and  weapons,  go  and  fight  with  the 
mosquitoes,  pierce  and  cut  all  the  mosquitoes,  and  thus  make  way  with 
them."  They  went  to  the  forest  with  the  thought  in  their  minds, 
"We'll  pierce  the  mosquitoes."  But  they  pierced  and  hit  one  another 
and  came  to  grief,  and  on  their  return,  lay  down  within  the  boundaries 
of  the  village,  in  the  village-square,  and  at  the  village-gate. 

The  Teacher,  surrounded  by  the  Congregation  of  Monks,  entered 
that  village  for  alms.  The  rest  of  the  inhabitants,  being  wise  men, 
seeing  the  Exalted  One,  erected  a  pavilion  at  the  village-gate,  gave 
abundant  alms  to  the  Congregation  of  INIonks  presided  over  by  the 
Buddha,  saluted  the  Teacher,  and  sat  down.  The  Teacher,  seeing 
wounded  men  lying  here  and  there,  asked  those  lay  disciples:  "Here  are 
many  men  who  are  in  a  bad  way.  What  have  they  done?"  "Reverend 
Sir,  these  men  started  out  with  the  thought  in  their  minds,  'We'll  have 
a  fight  with  the  mosquitoes.'  But  they  pierced  one  another  and  re- 
turned themselves  the  worse  for  wear."  Said  the  Teacher:  "Not  only 
in  their  present  state  of  existence  have  utter  fools  of  men,  with  the 
thought  in  their  minds,  'We'll  hit  mosquitoes,'  hit  themselves ;  in  a 
previous  state  of  existence  also  they  were  the  very  men  who,  with  the 
thought  in  their  minds,  'We'll  hit  a  mosquito,'  hit  something  very  dif- 
ferent." Then,  in  response  to  a  request  of  those  men,  he  related  the 
following  Story  of  the  Past: 

In  times  past,  when  Brahmadatta  ruled  at  Benares,  the  Future 
Buddha  made  his  living  by  trading.  At  that  time,  in  the  kingdom 
of  Kasi,  in  a  certain  frontier  village,  dwelt  many  carpenters. 
There  a  certain  grey-haired  carpenter  was  planing  a  tree.  Now  a 
mosquito  settled  on  his  head, — his  head  looked  like  the  surface  of 
a  copper  bowl! — and  pierced  his  head  with  his  stinger,  just  as 
though  he  were  sticking  him  with  a  spear.  Said  he  to  his  son  who 
sat  beside  him :  "Son,  a  mosquito  is  stinging  me  on  the  head, — it 
feels  just  as  if  he  were  sticking  me  with  a  spear !  Shoo  him  away !" 
"Father,  wait  a  moment !  I'll  kill  him  with  a  single  blow !" 

At  that  time  the  Future  Buddha  also,  seeking  wares  for  himself, 
having  reached  that  village,  was  sitting  in  that  carpenter's  hut. 
Well,  that  carpenter  said  to  his  son:  "Shoo  this  mosquito  off!" 
"I'll  shoo  him  off,  father!"  replied  the  son.  Taking  his  stand 
immediately  behind  his  father,  the  son,  with  the  thought  in  his 
mind,  "I'll  hit  the  mosquito  !"  raised  aloft  a  big,  sharp  axe,  and 
split  the  skull  of  his  father  in  two.  The  carpenter  died  on  the  spot. 
The  Future  Buddha,  seeing  what  the  son  had  done,  thought: 
"Even  an  enemy,  if  he  be  a  wise  man,  is  better;  for  an  enemy, 


84  Better  an  Enemy  with  Sense  [Chap.  VI. 

though  it  be  from  fear  of  human  vengeance,  will  not  kill."  And 
he  uttered  the  following  stanza : 

Better  an  enemy  with  sense 

Than  a  friend  without  it, 

For  with  the  words,  "I'll  kill  a  mosquito!" 

A  son, — both  deaf  and  dumb  ! — 

Split  his  father's  skull ! 

Having  uttered  this  stanza,  the  Future  Buddha  arose  and 
passed  away  according  to  his  deeds.  As  for  the  carpenter,  his 
kinsfolk  did  their  duty  by  his  body. 

Said  the  Teacher:  "Thus,  lay  disciples,  in  a  previous  state  of  exist- 
ence also  they  were  the  very  men  who,  with  the  thought  in  their  minds, 
'We'll  hit  a  mosquito,'  hit  something  very  different."  Having  related 
this  parable,  he  joined  the  connection  and  identified  the  personages  in 
the  Birth-story  as  follows:  "But  the  wise  man  who  uttered  the  stanza 
and  departed  on  that  occasion  was  I  myself." 


B.  Girl  and  fli/. 
Jataka  45: 1.248-249. 

Better  an  enemy.  This  parable  was  related  by  the  Teacher  while  he 
was  in  residence  at  Jetavana  with  reference  to  a  certain  slave-girl 
belonging  to  Treasurer  Anathapindika. 

Anathapindika,  we  are  told,  had  a  certain  slave-girl  named  Rohini. 
Where  she  was  pounding  rice,  her  old  mother  came  in  and  lay  down. 
Flies  buzzed  round  her  and  ate  her  up,  just  as  though  they  were  pierc- 
ing her  with  needles.  She  said  to  her  daughter:  "My  dear,  the  flies  are 
eating  me  up.  Shoo  them  off!"  "I'll  shoo  them  off!"  replied  the 
daughter.  Raising  her  pestle  aloft,  intending  to  kill  the  flies,  with  the 
thought  in  her  mind,  "I'll  make  way  with  them!"  she  struck  her 
mother  with  the  jjcstle  and  killed  her.  When  she  saw  what  she  had 
done,  she  began  to  weep:  "Mother!  Mother!" 

They  reported  that  incident  to  the  treasurer.  The  treasurer  had 
her  body  attended  to,  and  went  to  the  monastery  and  reported  the 
whole  incident  to  the  Teacher.  Said  the  Teacher:  "Verily,  householder, 
not  only  in  her  present  state  of  existence  has  this  girl,  with  the 
thought  in  her  mind,  'I'll  kill  the  flies  on  my  mother's  head !'  struck  her 
mother  with  a  pestle  and  killed  her ;  in  a  previous  state  of  existence 
also  she  killed  her  mother  in  the  very  same  way."  And  in  response  to 
the  treasurer's  request,  he  related  the  following  Story  of  the  Past: 

In  times  past,  when  Brahmadatta  ruled  at  Benares,  the  Future 
Buddha  was  reborn  in  a  treasurer's  household,  and  on  the  death 


Par.  27.]  Monkey-gardeners  85 

of  his  father,  succeeded  to  the  post  of  treasurer.  He  also  had  a 
slave-girl  named  Rohinl.  She  also,  when  her  mother  came  to  the 
place  where  she  was  pounding  rice  and  said  to  her,  "My  dear, 
shoo  the  flies  away  from  me !" — she  also,  in  the  very  same  way, 
struck  her  mother  with  a  pestle  and  killed  her  and  began  to  weep. 
The  Future  Buddha,  hearing  of  that  incident,  thought :  "For  even 
an  enemy  in  this  world,  if  only  he  be  a  wise  man,  is  better!"  And 
he  uttered  the  following  stanza : 

Better  an  enemy  who  is  intelligent 

Than  a  well-disposed  person  who  is  a  fool ! 

Look  at  that  wretched  little  RohinT ! 

She  killed  her  mother,  and  now, — she  weeps ! 

With  this  stanza  did  the  Future  Buddha  preach  the  Doctrine, 
praising  the  man  of  wisdom. 

Said  the  Teacher:  "Verily,  householder,  not  only  in  her  present 
state  of  existence  has  this  girl,  with  the  thought  in  her  mind,  'I'll  kill 
flies !'  caused  the  death  of  her  mother ;  in  a  previous  state  of  existence 
also  she  caused  the  death  of  her  mother  in  the  very  same  way."  Having 
related  this  parable,  he  joined  the  connection  and  identified  the  per- 
sonages in  the  Birth-story  as  follows:  "At  that  time  that  very  mother 
was  the  mother,  that  very  daughter  was  the  daughter,  but  the  Great 
Treasurer  was  I  myself." 

27.  MONKEY-GARDENERS 

Misdirected  effort  spells  failure. 

A.  One-stanza  version. 

Jataka  46:1.  249-251. 

Never,  in  the  hands  of  one  mho  knows  not  what  is  good.  This  parable 
was  related  by  the  Teacher  in  a  certain  little  village  in  the  country  of 
the  Kosalas  with  reference  to  one  who  spoiled  a  garden. 

The  story  goes  that  the  Teacher,  while  journeying  from  place  to 
place  in  the  country  of  the  Kosalas,  arrived  at  a  certain  little  village. 
There  a  certain  householder  invited  the  Tathagata,  provided  seats  in 
his  garden,  gave  alms  to  the  Congregation  of  Monks  presided  over 
by  the  Buddha,  and  said:  "Reverend  Sirs,  walk  about  in  this  garden 
according  to  your  pleasure." 

The  monks  arose,  and  accompanied  by  the  gardener,  walked  about 
the  garden.  Seeing  a  certain  bare  spot,  they  asked  the  gardener: 
"Disciple,  everywhere  else  this  garden  has  dense  shade,  but  in  this  spot 


86  Misdirected  Effort  [Chap.  VI. 

there  is  not  so  much  as  a  tree  or  a  shrub.  What^  prav,  is  the  reason  for 
this?"  "Reverend  Sirs,  when  this  garden  was  planted,  a  certain  village 
boy  watered  it.  In  this  spot  he  pulled  up  the  young  trees  by  the  roots, 
and  according  as  the  roots  were  large  or  small,  watered  them  plenti- 
fully or  sparingly.  Those  young  trees  withered  and  died.  That's  how 
this  spot  comes  to  be  so  bare !" 

The  monks  approached  the  Teacher  and  reported  that  matter  to 
him.  Said  the  Teacher:  "Not  only  in  his  present  state  of  existence 
has  that  village  boy  spoiled  a  garden;  in  a  previous  state  of  existence 
also  lie  did  naught  but  spoil  a  garden."  So  saying,  he  related  the  fol- 
lowing Story  of  the  Past: 

In  times  past,  when  Brahmadatta  ruled  at  Benares,  a  holiday  was 
proclaimed.  From  the  moment  they  heard  the  holiday  drum,  the 
residents  of  the  entire  city  went  about  making  holiday. 

At  that  time  many  monkeys  lived  in  the  king's  garden.  The 
gardener  thought :  "A  holiday  has  been  proclaimed  in  the  city. 
I'll  tell  these  monkeys  to  water  the  garden,  and  then  I'll  go  make 
holiday."  Approaching  the  leader  of  the  monkeys,  he  said: 
"Master  monkey-leader,  this  garden  is  of  great  use  even  to  you. 
Here  you  eat  flowers  and  fruits  and  shoots.  A  holiday  has  been 
proclaimed  in  the  city.  I'm  going  to  make  holiday."  And  he  asked 
him  the  question :  "Can  you  water  the  young  trees  in  this  garden 
until  I  come  back.?"  "Yes,  indeed,  I'll  water  them."  "Very  well," 
said  the  gardener ;  "be  heedful."  So  saying,  he  gave  those  monkeys 
water-skins  and  wooden  water-pots  to  use  in  watering  the  trees, 
and  departed.  The  monkeys  took  the  water-skins  and  wooden 
water-pots  and  watered  the  young  trees. 

Now  the  leader  of  the  monkeys  said  to  the  monkeys :  "Master- 
monkeys,  the  water  must  not  be  wasted.  When  3^ou  water  the 
young  trees,  pull  them  up  by  the  roots,  every  one;  look  at  the 
roots ;  water  plentifully  the  roots  that  strike  deep,  but  sparingly 
the  roots  that  do  not  strike  deep ;  later  on  we  shall  have  a  hard 
time  getting  water."  "Very  well,"  said  the  monkeys,  promising 
to  do  as  he  told  them  to.  And  they  did  so. 

At  that  time  a  certain  wise  man  saw  those  monkeys  working 
away  in  the  king's  garden,  and  said  to  them:  "Master-monkeys, 
why  are  you  pulling  up  by  the  roots  every  one  of  those  3'oung 
trees  and  watering  them  plentifully  or  sparingl}^  according  as  the 
roots  are  large  or  small.'"'  The  monkeys  replied:  "That's  what  the 
monkey  who  is  our  leader  told  us  to  do."  When  the  wise  man  heard 


Par.  27.]  Monkey-gardeners  87 

that  reply,  he  thought :  "Alas !  alas !  Those  that  are  fools,  those 
that  lack  wisdom,  say  to  themselves :  'We'll  do  good.'  But  harm's 
the  only  thing  they  do !"  And  he  uttered  the  following  stanza : 

Never,  in  the  hands  of  one  who  knows  not  what  is  good, 
Does  a  good  undertaking  turn  out  happily. 
A  man  who  lacks  intelligence  spoils  what  is  good 
Like  the  monkey  who  worked  in  the  garden. 

Thus,  with  this  stanza,  did  that  wise  man  censure  the  leader  of 
the  monkeys.  Having  so  done,  he  departed  from  the  garden  with 
his  followers. 

Said  the  Teacher:  "Not  only  in  his  present  state  of  existence  has 
that  village  boy  spoiled  a  garden ;  in  a  previous  state  of  existence  also 
he  did  naught  but  spoil  a  garden."  Having  related  this  parable,  he 
joined  the  connection  and  identified  the  personages  in  the  Birth-story 
as  follows:  'At  that  time  the  leader  of  the  monkeys  was  the  village  boy 
who  spoiled  a  garden,  but  the  wise  man  was  I  myself." 

B.  Three-stanza  version. 
Jataka  268:11.345-347. 

If  the  monhey  considered  the  best  of  the  crowd.  This  parable  was 
related  by  the  Teacher  in  the  South  Mountain  region  with  reference 
to  a  certain  gardener's  son. 

The  story  goes  that  the  Teacher,  after  keeping  residence  for  the 
period  of  the  rains,  departed  from  Jetavana  and  journeyed  from  place 
to  place  in  the  South  Mountain  region.  Now  a  certain  lay  disciple 
invited  the  Congregation  of  Monks  presided  over  by  the  Buddha, 
provided  seats  in  his  garden,  delighted  them  with  rice-gruel  and  hard 
food,  and  said:  "Noble  sirs,  if  you  desire  to  take  a  walk  about  the 
garden,  go  Avith  this  gardener."  And  he  gave  orders  to  the  gardener: 
"Pray  give  the  noble  monks  fruits  and  other  such-like  edibles." 

As  the  monks  walked  about,  they  saw  a  certain  cleared  space,  and 
asked:  "This  space  is  cleared,  without  growing  trees;  what,  pray,  is 
the  reason  for  this?"  Then  the  gardener  told  them:  "The  story  goes 
that  a  certain  gardener's  son  once  watered  the  saplings.  'I'll  water 
them  plentifully  or  sparingly  according  as  the  roots  are  large  or 
small,'  thought  he.  So  he  pulled  them  up  by  the  roots  and  watered 
them  plentifully  or  sparingly  according  as  the  roots  were  large  or 
small.  That's  how  this  space  comes  to  be  cleared !" 

The  monks  went  to  the  Teacher  and  reported  that  matter  to  him. 
Said  the  Teacher:  "Not  only  in  his  present  state  of  existence  has  that 
youth  spoiled  a  garden;  in  a  previous  state  of  existence  also  he  did 
naught  but  spoil  a  garden."  So  saying,  he  related  the  following  Story  of 
the  Past: 


88  Misdirected  Effort  [Chap.  VI. 

In  times  past,  when  Vissasena  ruled  at  Benares,  a  holiday  was 
proclaimed.  Thought  the  gardener:  "I'll  go  make  holiday;"  and 
said  to  the  monkej^s  who  lived  in  the  garden :  "This  garden  is  of 
great  use  to  you.  I'm  going  to  make  holiday  for  seven  days.  You 
must  water  the  saplings  on  the  seventh  day."  "Very  well,"  said 
they,  consenting.  He  gave  them  little  water-skins  and  departed. 

The  monkeys  did  as  they  were  told  and  watered  the  saplings. 
Now  the  leader  of  the  monkeys  said  to  the  monkeys :  "Wait  a 
moment !  Water  is  at  all  times  hard  to  get ;  it  must  not  be  wasted. 
What  you  must  do  is  to  pull  up  the  saplings  by  the  roots,  note 
the  length  of  the  roots,  water  plentifully  the  saplings  that  have 
long  roots,  but  sparingly  those  that  have  short  roots."  "Very 
well,"  said  the  monkeys,  and  went  about  watering  the  saplings, 
some  of  them  pulling  the  saplings  up  by  the  roots  and  others 
planting  them  again. 

At  that  time  the  Future  Buddha  was  the  son  of  a  certain  notable 
in  Benares.  Having  occasion,  for  some  purpose  or  other,  to  go  to 
the  garden,  he  saw  those  monkeys  working  away,  and  asked  them : 
"Who  told  you  to  do  this.'"'  "The  monkey  who  is  our  leader." 
"Well !  if  this  is  the  wisdom  of  your  leader,  what  must  yours  be 
like !"  And  explaining  the  matter,  he  uttered  the  first  stanza : 

If  the  monkey  considered  the  best  of  the  crowd 

Has  wisdom  like  this, 

Then  what  in  the  world  must  the  others  be  like? 

Hearing  this  remark,  the  monkeys  uttered  the  second  stanza : 

Brahman,  you  don't  know  what  you  are  talking  about 

When  you  blame  us  like  this ; 

For  how,  unless  we  see  the  roots, 

Can  we  know  whether  the  tree  stands  firm.'' 

Hearing  their  reply,  the  Future  Buddha  uttered  the  third 
stanza : 

It  isn't  you  I  blame, — not  I, — 
Nor  the  other  monkeys  in  the  wood ; 
Vissasena  alone  is  the  one  to  blame, 
Who  asked  you  to  tend  his  trees  for  him. 

When  the  Teacher  had  related  this  parable,  he  identified  the  per- 
sonages in  the  Birth-story  as  follows:  "At  that  time  the  leader  of  the 
monkeys  was  the  youth  wlio  spoiled  the  garden,  but  the  wise  man  was 
I  myself." 


Par.  28.]  Boar  and  Lion.  89 

28.  BOAR  AND  LION 

Touch  not  pitch  lest  ye  he  defied. 
Jataka  153:  ii.  9-12. 

A  conceited  old  monk  annoys  the  Chief  Disciples  with  foolish  ques- 
tions, runs  away,  falls  into  a  privy,  and  emerges  all  covered  with  dung. 
The  Teacher,  remarking  that  in  a  previous  state  of  existence  also  he 
measured  strength  with  the  mighty  and  was  covered  with  dung,  relates 
the  following  Story  of  the  Past: 

In  times  past,  when  Brahmadatta  ruled  at  Benares,  the  Future 
Buddha,  reborn  as  a  lion,  made  his  home  in  a  mountain  cave  in 
the  Himalaya  country.  Not  far  off,  near  a  certain  lake,  lived  many 
boars.  Near  that  same  lake  ascetics  also  dwelt. 

Now  one  day  the  lion  killed  a  buffalo  or  an  elephant  or  some 
other  such  animal  and  ate  his  fill  of  its  flesh.  Then  he  descended 
into  that  lake,  drank  water,  and  started  to  come  out  again.  At 
that  moment  a  fat  boar  was  feeding  near  that  lake.  The  lion, 
seeing  him,  reflected :  "Some  other  day  I'll  eat  him.  But  if  he  sees 
me,  he  may  not  come  back  again."  So  for  fear  that  the  boar  might 
not  come  back  again,  the  lion,  on  coming  up  out  of  the  water, 
started  to  steal  around  by  one  side. 

The  boar  watched  him  and  reflected :  "That  fellow,  when  he  saw 
me,  was  afraid  of  me,  and  therefore  dared  not  come  up  to  me.  He 
is  fleeing  in  fear.  Now's  the  time  for  me  to  measure  strength  with 
that  lion."  So  lifting  his  head,  he  challenged  the  lion  to  do  battle 
with  him,  reciting  the  first  stanza  : 

I  am  a  beast,  master;  you  also,  master,  are  a  beast. 
Come,  lion,  turn  around.  Why  do  you  flee  in  fear.^ 

When  the  lion  heard  his  talk,  he  replied :  "Master  boar,  to-day 
there  will  be  no  battle  between  me  and  you ;  but  seven  days  hence 
the  battle  shall  take  place  at  this  very  spot."  So  saying,  he  went 
his  way. 

The  boar,  pleased  and  delighted  at  the  thought,  "I  shall  do 
battle  with  a  lion,"  told  the  news  to  his  kinsfolk.  When  they  heard 
his  story,  they  were  frightened  and  terrified.  Said  they:  "Now 
you  will  cause  the  destruction  of  every  one  of  us.  Not  knowing 
how  slight  is  your  strength,  you  desire  to  do  battle  with  a  lion. 


90  Pride  Goeth  before  a  Fall  [Chap.  VI. 

The  lion  will  come  and  kill  every  one  of  us.  Do  not  commit  an  act 
of  violence." 

The  boar,  frightened  and  terrified,  asked:  "What  shall  I  do 
now.^"  Said  the  other  boars:  "Go  to  the  dunghill  of  these  ascetics, 
wallow  in  the  muck  for  seven  days,  and  let  your  body  dry  off.  On 
the  seventh  day,  having  moistened  your  body  with  drops  of  dew, 
go  to  the  battleground  ahead  of  the  lion,  and  noting  the  direction 
of  the  wind,  stand  to  the  windward.  The  cleanly  lion,  smelling 
the  odor  of  your  body,  will  give  you  the  victory  and  depart."  The 
boar  did  so.  On  the  seventh  day,  there  he  stood ! 

The  lion,  smelling  the  odor  of  his  body,  and  knowing  that  he 
was  covered  with  dung,  said :  "Master  boar,  that  was  a  beautiful 
stratagem  you  devised.  Had  you  not  covered  yourself  witli  dung, 
I  should  have  killed  you  on  the  spot.  But  as  it  is,  it  is  quite  im- 
possible for  me  either  to  crush  you  with  my  jaws  or  to  strike  you 
with  my  paws.  I  give  3'ou  the  victory."  So  saying,  he  recited  the 
second  stanza : 

You  are  filthy,  you  bristle  with  muck, 

With  bad  smells  you  reek,  boar. 

If  you  wish  to  fight,  I  give  you  the  victory,  master. 

The  lion  turned  around,  got  himself  a  meal,  drank  water  in  the 
lake,  and  went  back  to  his  mountain  cave.  The  boar  informed  his 
kinsfolk:  "I  conquered  the  lion!"  They  were  frightened  and  terri- 
fied. Said  they:  "The  lion  will  come  back  again  one  of  these  days 
and  kill  every  one  of  us."  So  saying,  they  scampered  off  to  another 
place. 

29.  BEETLE  AND  ELEPHANT 

Pride  goeth  before  a  fall. 
Jataka  227:  ii.  211-212. 

A  monk,  annoyed  by  a  youth,  pelts  him  with  dung.  The  Teacher, 
remarking  that  the  monk  attacked  the  youth  in  similar  fashion  in  a 
previous  state  of  existence,  relates  the  following  Story  of  the  Past: 

One  day  in  the  olden  time  some  dwellers  in  Aiiga  and  Magadha, 
on  their  way  to  each  other's  country,  put  up  at  a  house  on  the 
boundary,  drank  liquor,  and  ate  fish  and  flesh.  Early  next  morn- 
ing they   harnessed   their   wagons   and   continued  their  journey. 


Par.  29.]  Beetle  and  Elephant  91 

When  they  had  gone,  a  certain  wretched  little  dung-beetle,  at- 
tracted by  the  smell  of  dung,  drew  near.  Seeing  liquor  poured  out 
on  the  ground  where  the  travelers  had  drunk,  and  being  thirsty, 
he  drank  thereof,  and  becoming  drunk,  climbed  up  on  a  dunghill. 
When  he  had  climbed  to  the  top,  the  moist  dung  gave  way  a  little. 
Thereupon  he  exclaimed:  "The  earth  cannot  support  my  weight!" 
At  that  very  moment  an  elephant  in  rut  came  into  the  vicinity, 
but  detecting  the  odor  of  dung,  retreated.  The  beetle,  seeing  him, 
concluded:  "That  fellow  is  fleeing  in  fear."  And  saying  to  him- 
self :  "I  must  do  battle  with  that  fellow !"  he  challenged  him, 
reciting  the  first  stanza : 

A  hero  has  met  a  hero  who  is  strong  and  can  deal  a  blow. 
Come,  elephant,  turn  around.  Why  do  you  flee  in  fear.'' 
Let  Aiigas  and  Magadhas  see  my  prowess  and  yours. 

The  elephant  pricked  up  his  ears  when  he  heard  the  beetle's 
words,  turned  around,  went  up  to  him,  and  treating  him  as  an 
outcast,  recited  the  second  stanza : 

I'll  kill  you  not  with  foot  nor  tusks  nor  trunk; 
With  dung  I'll  kill  you;  let  filth  be  slain  with  filth. 

So  saying,  the  elephant  let  drop  on  top  of  the  beetle  a  great 
mass  of  dung,  made  water  on  him,  and  thus  killed  him  on  the 
spot.  Then  he  made  off  into  the  forest  again,  trumpeting  the 
Heron's  Call. 


CHAPTER  VII 
PARABLES  FROM  VARIOUS  SOURCES  ON  DEATH 

30.  KISA  GOTAMI 

There  is  no  cure  for  death. 
Aiiguttara  Commentary  225-227, 

GotamT  was  her  family  name,  but  because  she  tired  easily,  she  was 
called  Kisa  GotamT,  or  Frail  Gotaml.  She  was  reborn  at  Savatthi 
in  a  poverty-stricken  house.  When  she  grew  up,  she  married, 
going  to  the  house  of  her  husband's  family  to  live.  There,  because 
she  was  the  daughter  of  a  poverty-stricken  house,  they  treated 
her  with  contempt.  After  a  time  she  gave  birth  to  a  son.  Then 
they  accorded  her  respect. 

But  when  that  boy  of  hers  was  old  enough  to  play  and  run 
hither  and  about,  he  died.  Sorrow  sprang  up  within  her.  Thought 
she :  "Since  the  birth  of  my  son,  I,  who  was  once  denied  honor  and 
respect  in  this  very  house,  have  received  respect.  These  folk 
may  even  seek  to  cast  my  son  away."  Taking  her  son  on  her  hip, 
she  went  about  from  one  house-door  to  another,  saying:  "Give  me 
medicine  for  my  son !" 

Wherever  people  encountered  her,  they  said:  "Where  did  you 
ever  meet  with  medicine  for  the  dead.?"  So  saying,  they  clapped 
their  hands  and  laughed  in  derision.  She  had  not  the  slightest  idea 
what  they  meant. 

Now  a  certain  wise  man  saw  her  and  thought:  "This  woman 
must  have  been  driven  out  of  her  mind  by  sorrow  for  her  son. 
But  medicine  for  her, — no  one  else  is  likely  to  know, — the  Pos- 
sessor of  the  Ten  Forces  alone  is  likely  to  know."  Said  he: 
"Woman,  as  for  medicine  for  your  son, — there  is  no  one  else  who 
knows, — the  Possessor  of  the  Ten  Forces,  the  foremost  individual 
in  the  world  of  men  and  the  Worlds  of  tlie  Gods,  resides  at  a 
neighboring  monastery.  Go  to  him  and  ask." 


Par.  30.]  Kisd  Got  ami  93 

"The  man  speaks  the  truth,"  thought  she.  Taking  her  son  on 
her  hip,  when  the  Tathagata  sat  down  in  the  Seat  of  the  Buddhas, 
she  took  her  stand  in  the  outer  circle  of  the  congregation  and 
said :  "O  Exalted  One,  give  me  medicine  for  my  son !" 

The  Teacher,  seeing  that  she  was  ripe  for  conversion,  said: 
"You  did  well,  Gotami,  in  coming  hither  for  medicine.  Go  enter 
the  city,  make  the  rounds  of  the  entire  city,  beginning  at  the 
beginning,  and  in  whatever  house  no  one  has  ever  died,  from  that 
house  fetch  tiny  grains  of  mustard-seed." 

"Very  well,  Reverend  Sir,"  said  she.  Delighted  in  heart,  she 
entered  within  the  city,  and  at  the  very  first  house  said:  "The 
Possessor  of  the  Ten  Forces  bids  me  fetch  tiny  grains  of  mustard- 
seed  for  medicine  for  my  son.  Give  me  tiny  grains  of  mustard- 
seed."  "Alas !  Gotami,"  said  they,  and  brought  and  gave  to  her. 

"This  particular  seed  I  cannot  take.  In  this  house  some  one  has 
died !" 

"What  say  you,  Gotami !  Here  it  is  impossible  to  count  the 
dead !" 

"Well  then,  enough !  I'll  not  take  it.  The  Possessor  of  the  Ten 
Forces  did  not  tell  me  to  take  mustard-seed  from  a  house  where 
any  one  has  ever  died." 

In  this  same  way  she  went  to  the  second  house,  and  to  the  third. 
Thought  she:  "In  the  entire  city  this  alone  must  be  the  way! 
This  the  Buddha,  full  of  compassion  for  the  welfare  of  mankind, 
must  have  seen !"  Overcome  with  emotion,  she  went  outside  of  the 
city,  carried  her  son  to  the  burning-ground,  and  holding  him  in 
her  arms,  said:  "Dear  little  son,  I  thought  that  you  alone  had 
been  overtaken  by  this  thing  which  men  call  death.  But  you  are 
not  the  only  one  death  has  overtaken.  This  is  a  law  common  to 
all  mankind."  So  saying,  she  cast  her  son  away  in  the  burning- 
ground.  Then  she  uttered  the  following  stanza : 

No  village-law,  no  law  of  market-town, 

No  law  of  a  single  house  is  this, — 

Of  all  the  world  and  all  the  Worlds  of  Gods 

This  only  is  the  law,  that  all  things  are  impermanent. 

Now  when  she  had  so  said,  she  went  to  the  Teacher.  Said  the 
Teacher  to  her:  "Gotami,  did  you  get  the  tiny  grains  of  mustard- 
seed.?"  "Done,  Reverend  Sir,  is  the  business  of  the  mustard-seed! 


94  Kinsfolk  Are  No  Refuge  [Chap.  VII. 

Only  give  me  a  refuge !"  Then  the  Teacher  recited  to  her  the  fol- 
lowing stanza  in  the  Dhammapada : 

That  man  who  delights  in  children  and  cattle, 

That  man  whose  heart  adheres  thereto, 

Death  takes  that  man  and  goes  his  way, 

As  sweeps  away  a  mighty  flood  a  sleeping  village. 

At  the  conclusion  of  the  stanza,  even  as  she  stood  there,  she 
became  established  in  the  Fruit  of  Conversion,  and  requested  ad- 
mission to  the  Order.  The  Teacher  granted  her  admission  to  the 
Order.  She  thrice  made  rightwise  circuit  of  the  Teacher,  bowed 
to  him,  and  going  to  the  nuns'  convent,  entered  the  Order.  Later 
on  she  made  her  full  profession,  and  in  no  very  long  time,  by  the 
Practice  of  Meditation,  developed  Insight.  And  the  Teacher  re- 
cited to  her  this  Apparition-stanza : 

Though  one  should  live  a  hundred  years, 
Not  seeing  the  Region  of  the  Deathless, 
Better  were  it  for  one  to  live  a  single  day. 
The  Region  of  the  Deathless  seeing. 

At  the  conclusion  of  the  stanza  she  attained  Sainthood. 


31.  PAT  AGAR  A 

Kinsfolk  are  no  refuge. 
Aiiguttara  Commentary  213-215. 

Patacara  was  reborn  at  Savatthi  in  the  house  of  a  merchant. 
Later  on,  when  she  had  grown  to  womanhood,  she  formed  an 
intimacy  with  a  certain  laborer.  Later  on,  about  to  marry  a  man 
of  birth  equal  to  her  own,  she  hinted  to  that  man  with  whom  she 
had  been  intimate :  "From  to-morrow  on  you  will  not  succeed  in 
seeing  me  even  with  the  help  of  a  hundred  doorkeepers.  If  you 
mean  business,  take  me  right  now  and  go." 

"So  be  it!"  said  he.  Taking  such  proper  and  necessary  things 
as  could  be  carried  in  the  hand,  and  taking  her  with  him,  he 
retired  three  or  four  leagues  from  the  city,  and  took  up  his  resi- 
dence in  a  certain  hamlet.  Later  on  she  conceived  a  child  in  her 
womb.  When  her  unborn  child  reached  maturity,  she  said:  "This 
is   a   forlorn  place   for  us,  husband ;  let's   go  home."   "We'll  go 


Par.  31.]  Patdcdrd  95 

to-day;  we'll  go  to-morrow,"  said  he.  Not  daring  to  go,  he  let 
the  time  slip  by.  She  knew  his  object.  Thought  she:  "This  simple- 
ton does  not  intend  to  take  me  home."  When  he  had  gone  out,  she 
made  up  her  mind :  "I'll  go  home  all  by  myself ;"  and  started  out 
on  the  road. 

When  he  returned  and  saw  her  nowhere  in  the  house,  he  asked 
the  neighbors.  Hearing,  "She  has  gone  home,"  he  reflected,  "Be- 
cause of  me  the  daughter  of  a  respectable  family  is  without  a 
protector,"  and  following  in  her  footsteps,  came  up  with  her. 
Right  there  on  the  road  she  gave  birth  to  her  child.  Then  she 
said :  "What  we  would  have  gone  home  for,  has  happened  right  on 
the  road.  If  we  go  now,  what  shall  we  do .?"  They  turned  back. 

Again  she  conceived  a  child  in  her  womb.  (All  is  to  be  related 
in  detail  precisely  as  before.)  Only, — the  very  moment  she  gave 
birth  to  her  child  on  the  road,  great  clouds  arose  in  the  four 
quarters.  She  said  to  her  husband:  "Husband,  clouds  have  arisen 
in  the  four  quarters  out  of  due  season.  Try  to  make  me  a  place  of 
shelter  from  the  rain."  "So  will  I  do,"  said  he.  Having  made  a  hut 
of  sticks,  he  resolved,  "I  will  fetch  grass  for  a  thatch,"  and  started 
to  cut  grass  at  the  base  of  an  ant-hill.  A  black  snake  lurking  in 
the  ant-hill  bit  him  on  the  leg.  In  that  very  spot  he  fell. 

She  spent  the  whole  night  thinking :  "Now  he  will  come !  now  he 
will  come!"  Finally  she  concluded:  "He  must  certainly  have 
abandoned  me  on  the  road,  thinking,  'She  is  without  a  protector,' 
and  made  off."  When  it  was  light,  she  followed  his  footsteps,  look- 
ing about,  and  saw  him  fallen  at  the  base  of  the  ant-hill.  "On 
account  of  me  my  husband  perished,"  thought  she,  and  wept. 

Taking  the  younger  boy  on  her  hip,  and  giving  the  older  boy 
her  fingers  to  hold,  she  proceeded  along  the  road.  On  the  way 
seeing  a  certain  shallow  riverlet,  she  reflected :  "If  now  I  take  both 
boys  at  the  same  time,  I  shall  not  be  able  to  cross."  Causing  the 
older  boy  to  stand  on  the  near  bank,  she  carried  the  younger  boy 
to  the  far  bank  and  laid  him  in  a  cloth  head-coil.  Then,  thinking, 
"I  will  get  the  other  and  cross,"  she  turned  back  again  and  de- 
scended into  the  river. 

Now  when  she  reached  the  middle  of  the  river,  a  certain  hawk, 
thinking,  "There's  a  tiny  lump  of  meat!"  approached  to  strike 
the  boy  with  his  beak.  Stretching  out  her  arm,  she  drove  the  hawk 
away.  The  older  boy,  seeing  that  movement  of  her  arm,  concluded. 


96  Kinsfolk  Are  No  Refuge  [Chap.  VII. 

"She's  calling  me !"  descended  into  the  river,  fell  into  the  stream, 
and  was  swept  downstream.  That  hawk,  before  ever  she  could 
reach  him,  seized  that  boy  and  made  off.  Overcome  with  profound 
sorrow,  she  made  her  way  along  the  road,  singing  this  little  song 
of  lamentation : 

Both  my  sons  are  dead; 

On  the  road  lies  my  husband  dead. 

Even  as  she  thus  lamented,  she  reached  Savatthi.  Though  she 
went  to  the  quarter  of  the  better  class,  solely  because  of  her 
sorrow  she  was  unable  to  fix  the  site  of  her  own  house.  She  asked 
people  by  turns:  "In  this  place  there  is  such-and-such  a  family. 
Which  is  their  house.?"  "What  can  you  mean  by  asking  for  that 
family.?  The  house  where  they  lived  was  blown  down  by  the  wind, 
and  in  it  they  all  met  destruction.  Indeed,  the  young  and  old  of 
that  family  they  are  burning  at  this  very  moment.  Look !  don't 
you  see  the  smoke  roll  up  yonder.?" 

At  the  mere  hearing  of  those  words,  she  could  no  longer  endure 
the  cloak  she  wore,  but  naked  as  ever  at  birth  she  went  to  the  spot 
where  stood  the  pyre  of  her  kinsfolk,  stretching  out  her  arms  and 
lamenting.  And  completing  that  song  of  lamentation,  she  wailed: 

Both  my  sons  are  dead; 
On  the  road  lies  my  husband  dead. 
Mother  and  father  and  brother 
Burn  on  one  funeral-pyre. 

Although  some  one  gave  her  a  cloth,  she  tore  it  and  tore  it  and 
threw  it  away.  And  wherever  she  was  seen,  a  crowd  flocked  about 
her  and  followed  her.  And  because  they  said:  "This  woman  goes 
about  neglecting  cloth-practice,  cloth-usage  {patdcdra)^"  there- 
fore they  gave  her  the  name  Patacara. 

One  day,  while  the  Teacher  was  preaching  the  Doctrine  to  the 
multitude,  she  entered  the  monastery  and  stood  in  the  outer  circle 
of  the  congregation.  The  Teacher  suffused  her  with  a  suffusion 
of  loving-kindness :  "Return  to  your  right  mind,  sister !  return  to 
your  right  mind,  sister !"  On  hearing  these  words  of  the  Teacher, 
deep  shame  and  fear  of  sin  came  to  her.  She  sat  down  right  there 
on  the  ground.  A  man  who  stood  not  far  off  tossed  her  his  outer 
cloak.  She  put  it  on  as  an  undergarment  and  hearkened  to  the 


Par.  32.]  Heavenly  Messengers  97 

Doctrine.   The  Teacher,  by   reason  of  her  conduct,   recited  the 
following  stanzas  found  in  the  Dhammapada : 

Sons  are  no  refuge,  nor  a  father,  nor  relatives ; 

To  one  who  has  been  assailed  by  death,  there  is  no  refuge  in  kinsfolk. 

Knowing  this  power  of  circumstances,  the  wise  man,  restrained  by  the 

moral  precepts. 
Should  straightway  clear  the  path  that  leads  to  Nibbana. 

At  the  conclusion  of  the  stanzas,  even  as  she  stood  there,  she 
became  established  in  the  Fruit  of  Conversion. 


32.  THE  HEAVENLY  MESSENGERS 

Prepare  for  death. 
Majjhima83:ii.  74-83. 

Thus  have  I  heard:  Once  upon  a  time  the  Exalted  One  was  in  resi- 
dence at  Mithila,  in  Makhadeva  Mango  Grove.  Now  at  a  certain  spot 
the  Exalted  One  smiled.  And  to  Venerable  Ananda  occurred  the  fol- 
lowing thought:  "What,  pray,  is  the  cause,  what  is  the  reason,  for  the 
Exalted  One's  smiling.?  Not  without  cause  do  the  Tathagatas  smile." 
Accordingly  Venerable  Ananda  adjusted  his  robe  so  as  to  cover  one 
shoulder  only,  bent  his  joined  hands  in  reverent  salutation  before  the 
Exalted  One,  and  said  this  to  the  Exalted  One:  "What,  pray.  Reverend 
Sir,  is  the  cause,  what  is  the  reason,  for  the  Exalted  One's  smiling.? 
Not  without  cause  do  the  Tathagatas  smile." 

Part  1.  Makhadeva. 

In  olden  times,  Ananda,  in  this  very  city  of  Mitliila,  there  was  a 
king  named  Makhadeva.  He  was  a  righteous  king,  a  king  of 
righteousness,  abiding  steadfast  in  righteousness,  a  mighty  king. 
He  dealt  righteously  with  Brahmans  and  householders,  with 
country  folk  and  city  folk.  He  kept  Fast-day  on  the  fourteenth 
day,  on  the  fifteenth  day,  and  on  the  eighth  day  of  the  half-month. 
Now,  Ananda,  after  many  years,  many  hundreds  of  years,  many 
thousands  of  years  had  gone  by,  King  Makhadeva  addressed  his 
barber :  "When,  master  barber,  you  see  grey  hairs  growing  on  my 
head,  pray  be  good  enough  to  tell  me."  "Yes,  your  majesty,"  said 
the  barber  to  King  INIakhadeva,  giving  him  his  word. 


98  Makhddeva  [Chap.  VII. 

Ananda,  after  many  years,  many  hundreds  of  years,  many 
thousands  of  years  had  gone  by,  the  barber  saw  grey  hairs  grow- 
ing on  King  Makhadeva's  head.  When  he  saw  them,  he  said  this 
to  King  Makhadeva :  "The  heavenly  messengers  have  appeared  to 
your  majesty.  Grey  hairs  are  visible  growing  on  your  head." 
"Well  then,  master  barber,  extract  these  grey  hairs  carefully 
with  a  pair  of  tongs  and  place  them  in  the  hollow  of  my  joined 
hands." 

"Yes,  your  majesty,"  said  the  barber  to  King  Makhadeva. 
And  in  obedience  to  his  command  the  barber  extracted  those  grey 
hairs  carefully  and  placed  them  in  the  hollow  of  King  Makhadeva's 
joined  hands.  And,  Ananda,  King  Makhadeva  gave  the  barber  a 
splendid  village.  Then,  addressing  his  eldest  son,  the  royal  prince, 
he  said  this : 

"Dear  prince,  the  heavenly  messengers  have  appeared  to  me. 
Grey  hairs  are  visible  growing  on  my  head.  But  I  have  enjoyed 
the  pleasures  of  earth ;  it  is  time  for  me  to  seek  the  pleasures  of 
heaven.  Come,  dear  prince,  enter  upon  this  kingdom.  As  for  me, 
I  will  shave  off  my  hair  and  beard,  put  on  yellow  robes,  and  retire 
from  the  house-life  to  the  houseless  life.  Now  then,  dear  prince, 
when  you  also  see  grey  hairs  growing  on  your  head,  then  you 
must  give  your  barber  a  splendid  village,  thoroughly  instruct 
your  eldest  son,  the  royal  prince,  in  the  duties  of  a  king,  shave  off 
your  hair  and  beard,  put  on  yellow  robes,  and  retire  from  the 
house-life  to  the  houseless  life.  Inasmuch  as  I  have  established  this 
splendid  succession,  it  is  your  duty  to  keep  it  going;  you  must 
not  be  the  last  man  to  follow  me.  If  ever,  dear  prince,  in  the  life- 
time of  two  men,  one  uproots  the  succession,  he  is  the  last  man  of 
the  line.  Therefore,  dear  prince,  I  say  this  to  you:  Inasmuch  as 
I  have  established  this  splendid  succession,  it  is  your  duty  to  keep 
it  going;  you  must  not  be  the  last  to  follow  me." 

Accordingly,  Ananda,  King  INIakhadeva,  having  given  his  barber 
a  splendid  village,  having  thoroughly  instructed  his  eldest  son,  the 
royal  prince,  in  the  duties  of  a  king,  in  this  very  Makhadeva 
Mango  Grove  shaved  off  his  hair  and  beard,  put  on  yellow  robes, 
and  retired  from  the  house-life  to  the  houseless  life.  He  dwelt 
suffusing  with  thoughts  of  friendliness,  compassion,  sympathy, 
and  indifference,  one  quarter,  likewise  a  second,  likewise  a  third, 
likewise  a  fourth.  So  likewise  above,  below,  across, — everywhere, — 


Par.  32.]  Heavenly  Messengers  99 

identifying  himself  with  all  things,  he  dwelt  suffusing  the  all- 
embracing  earth  with  thoughts  of  friendliness,  compassion,  sym- 
pathy, and  indifference, — ample,  far-reaching,  boundless,  free 
from  enmity,  free  from  ill-will. 

Now,  Ananda,  King  Makhadeva  for  eighty-four  thousand  years 
diverted  himself  with  the  diversions  of  a  royal  prince ;  for  eighty- 
four  thousand  years  exercised  the  functions  of  a  viceroy;  for 
eight3^-four  thousand  j^ears  exercised  the  functions  of  a  king; 
for  eighty-four  thousand  years,  in  this  very  Makhadeva  Mango 
Grove,  having  retired  from  the  house-life  to  the  houseless  life,  led 
the  Holy  Life.  He  cultivated  the  Four  Exalted  States,  and  after 
death,  upon  dissolution  of  the  body,  was  reborn  in  the  Brahma 
World. 

Now,  Ananda,  King  Makhadeva's  son  and  his  son  and  his  son,  to 
the  number  of  eighty-four  thousand  Warrior  princes  descended 
from  him,  in  this  very  Makhadeva  Mango  Grove,  shaved  off 
hair  and  beard,  put  on  yellow  robes,  and  retired  from  the  house- 
life  to  the  houseless  life.  Thev  cultivated  the  Four  Exalted  States, 
and  after  death,  upon  dissolution  of  the  body,  were  reborn  in  the 
Brahma  World. 

Part  "2.  Nimi. 

Nimi  was  the  last  of  these  kings.  He  was  a  righteous  king,  a  king 
of  righteousness,  abiding  steadfast  in  righteousness,  a  mighty 
king.  He  dealt  righteously  with  Brahmans  and  householders,  with 
country  folk  and  city  folk.  He  kept  Fast-day  on  the  fourteenth 
day,  on  the  fifteenth  da}",  and  on  the  eighth  day  of  the  half-month. 

In  former  times,  Ananda,  among  the  gods  of  the  Thirty-three, 
assembled  and  met  together  in  the  mote-hall  Goodness,  arose  the 
following  desultory  talk :  "O  how  fortunate  are  the  Videhas,  O 
how  very  fortunate  are  the  Videhas,  that  they  should  have  Nimi 
for  their  king !  He  is  a  righteous  king,  a  king  of  righteousness, 
abiding  steadfast  in  righteousness,  a  mighty  king.  He  deals 
righteously  with  Brahmans  and  householders,  with  country  folk 
and  city  folk.  He  keeps  Fast-day  on  the  fourteenth  day,  on  the 
fifteenth  day,  and  on  the  eighth  day  of  the  half-month." 

Thereupon,  Ananda,  Sakka  king  of  gods  addressed  the  gods  of 
the  Thirty-three:   "Would  you   wish,   sirs,   to   see  King  Nimi.'"' 


100  Nimi  [Chap.  VII. 

"We  wish,  sir,  to  see  King  Nimi."  Now  at  that  time,  on  that  very 
day,  on  Fast-day,  on  the  fifteenth  day  of  the  half-month,  King 
Nimi  bathed  his  head,  took  upon  himself  the  obligations  of  Fast- 
day,  and  went  up  on  the  terrace  of  his  splendid  palace  and  sat 
down.  And,  Ananda,  Sakka  king  of  gods,  just  as  a  strong  man 
might  straighten  his  bent  arm  or  bend  his  straightened  arm,  pre- 
cisely so  disappeared  from  among  the  gods  of  the  Thirty-three 
and  appeared  before  King  Nimi.  And,  Ananda,  Sakka  king  of 
gods  said  this  to  King  Nimi :  "You  are  fortunate,  great  king !  you 
are  very  fortunate,  great  king !  Great  king,  the  gods  of  the  Thirty- 
three  say  thus  and  so.  Great  king,  the  gods  of  the  Thirty- 
three  desire  to  see  you.  Great  king,  I  will  send  to  you  here  a 
chariot  drawn  by  a  thousand  thoroughbreds.  Great  king,  you 
may  mount  the  heavenly  vehicle  with  never  a  tremor  of  fear." 

And,  Ananda,  King  Nimi  gave  consent  by  remaining  silent. 
Then,  Ananda,  Sakka  king  of  gods,  perceiving  that  King  Nimi 
had  given  his  consent,  just  as  a  strong  man  might  straighten  his 
bent  arm  or  bend  his  straightened  arm,  precisely  so  disappeared 
from  the  presence  of  King  Nimi  and  appeared  among  the  gods 
of  the  Thirt^^-three.  And,  Ananda,  Sakka  king  of  gods  addressed 
the  charioteer  Matali:  "Come,  friend  Matali,  harness  a  thousand 
thoroughbreds  to  a  chariot,  and  approach  King  Nimi  and  speak 
as  follows:  'Here,  great  king,  is  a  chariot  drawn  by  a  thousand 
thoroughbreds,  sent  to  you  by  Sakka  king  of  gods.  Great  king, 
you  may  mount  the  heavenly  vehicle  with  never  a  tremor  of  fear.'  " 
"So  be  it !  My  best  wishes !" 

Thereupon,  Ananda,  the  charioteer  Matali,  in  obedience  to  the 
command  of  Sakka  king  of  gods,  harnessed  a  thousand  thorough- 
breds to  a  chariot,  approached  King  Nimi,  and  spoke  as  follows : 
"Here,  great  king,  is  a  chariot  drawn  by  a  thousand  thorough- 
breds, sent  to  you  by  Sakka  king  of  gods.  Great  king,  mount  the 
heavenly  vehicle  with  never  a  tremor  of  fear.  But,  great  king,  by 
what  road  shall  I  conduct  you.?  Where  those  who  have  done  evil 
deeds  experience  the  fruition  of  evil  deeds.?  Or  where  those  who 
have  done  good  deeds  experience  the  fruition  of  good  deeds .?"  "By 
all  means  conduct  me  by  both  roads,  Matali." 

Thereupon,  Ananda,  the  charioteer  INIatali  escorted  King  Nimi 
to  the  mote-hall  Goodness.  Now,  Ananda,  Sakka  king  of  gods  saw 
King  Nimi  approaching  even  from  afar.  Seeing,  he  said  this  to 


Par.  32.]  Heavenly  Messengers  101 

King  Nimi :  "Come  now,  great  king ;  you  are  welcome,  great  king. 
Great  king,  the  gods  of  the  Thirty-three,  assembled  in  the  mote- 
hall  Goodness,  uttered  your  praises:  'O  how  fortunate  are  the 
Videhas,  O  how  very  fortunate  are  the  Videhas,  that  they  should 
have  Nimi  for  their  king!  He  is  a  righteous  king,  a  king  of 
righteousness,  abiding  steadfast  in  righteousness,  a  mighty  king. 
He  deals  righteously  with  Brahmans  and  householders,  with 
country  folk  and  city  folk.  He  keeps  Fast-day  on  the  fourteenth 
day,  on  the  fifteenth  day,  and  on  the  eighth  day  of  the  half-month.' 
Great  king,  the  gods  of  the  Thirty-three  desire  to  see  you.  Great 
king,  take  your  pleasure  among  the  gods  and  exercise  the  super- 
natural power  of  a  god." 

"Enough,  Sire!  Let  Matali  conduct  me  right  back  there  to 
Mithila.  There  would  I  deal  righteously  with  Brahmans  and 
householders,  with  country  folk  and  city  folk;  there  would  I  keep 
Fast-day  on  the  fourteenth  day,  on  the  fifteenth  day,  and  on  the 
eighth  day  of  the  half-month." 

Thereupon,  Ananda,  Sakka  king  of  gods  addressed  the  chari- 
oteer Matali :  "Come,  friend  Matali,  harness  a  thousand  thorough- 
breds to  a  chariot  and  conduct  King  Nimi  right  back  there  to 
Mithila."  "So  be  it !  My  best  wishes  !"  And  in  obedience  to  the  com- 
mand of  Sakka  king  of  gods,  the  charioteer  Matali  harnessed  a 
thousand  thoroughbreds  to  a  chariot  and  conducted  King  Nimi 
right  back  there  to  Mithila. 

And  there,  Ananda,  King  Nimi  dealt  righteously  with  Brah- 
mans and  householders,  with  country  folk  and  city  folk.  There  he 
kept  Fast-day  on  the  fourteenth  day,  on  the  fifteenth  day,  and  on 
the  eighth  day  of  the  half-month. 

Now,  Ananda,  after  many  years,  many  hundreds  of  years,  many 
thousands  of  years  had  gone  by,  King  Nimi  addressed  his  barber: 
"When,  master  barber,  you  see  grey  hairs  growing  on  my  head, 
pray  be  good  enough  to  tell  me."  "Yes,  your  majesty,"  said  the 
barber  to  King  Nimi,  giving  him  his  word. 

Ananda,  after  many  years,  many  hundreds  of  years,  many 
thousands  of  years  had  gone  by,  the  barber  saw  grey  hairs  grow- 
ing on  King  Nimi's  head.  When  he  saw  them,  he  said  this  to  King 
Nimi:  "The  heavenly  messengers  have  appeared  to  your  majesty. 
Grey  hairs  are  visible  growing  on  your  head."  "Well  then,  master 


102  Nimi  [Chap.  VII. 

barber,  extract  these  grey  hairs  carefully  with  a  pair  of  tongs 
and  place  them  in  the  hollow  of  my  joined  hands." 

"Yes,  your  majesty,"  said  the  barber  to  King  Nimi.  And  in 
obedience  to  his  command  the  barber  extracted  those  grey  hairs 
carefully  and  placed  them  in  the  hollow  of  King  Nimi's  joined 
hands.  And,  Ananda,  King  Nimi  gave  the  barber  a  splendid 
village.  Then,  addressing  his  eldest  son,  the  royal  prince,  he  said 
this : 

"Dear  prince,  the  heavenly  messengers  have  appeared  to  me. 
Grey  hairs  are  visible  growing  on  my  head.  But  I  have  enjoyed 
the  pleasures  of  earth ;  it  is  time  for  me  to  seek  the  pleasures  of 
heaven.  Come,  dear  prince,  enter  upon  this  kingdom.  As  for  me, 
I  will  shave  off  my  hair  and  beard,  put  on  yellow  robes,  and 
retire  from  the  house-life  to  the  houseless  life.  Now  then,  dear 
prince,  when  you  also  see  grey  hairs  growing  on  your  head,  then 
you  must  give  your  barber  a  splendid  village,  thoroughly  instruct 
your  eldest  son,  the  royal  prince,  in  the  duties  of  a  king,  shave 
off  your  hair  and  beard,  put  on  yellow  robes,  and  retire  from  the 
house-life  to  the  houseless  life.  Inasmuch  as  I  have  established 
this  splendid  succession,  it  is  your  duty  to  keep  it  going;  you 
must  not  be  the  last  man  to  follow  me.  If  ever,  dear  prince,  in  the 
lifetime  of  two  men,  one  uproots  the  succession,  he  is  the  last  man 
of  the  line.  Therefore,  dear  prince,  I  say  this  to  you :  Inasmuch  as 
I  have  established  this  splendid  succession,  it  is  your  duty  to  keep 
it  going;  you  must  not  be  the  last  to  follow  me." 

Accordingly,  Ananda,  King  Nimi,  having  given  his  barber  a 
splendid  village,  having  thoroughly  instructed  his  eldest  son,  the 
royal  prince,  in  the  duties  of  a  king,  in  this  very  Makh^ldeva 
Mango  Grove  shaved  off  his  hair  and  beard,  put  on  yellow  robes, 
and  retired  from  the  house-life  to  the  houseless  life.  He  dwelt  suf- 
fusing with  thoughts  of  friendliness,  compassion,  sympathy,  and 
indifference,  one  quarter,  likewise  a  second,  likewise  a  third,  like- 
wise a  fourth.  So  likewise  above,  below,  across, — everywhere, — 
identifying  himself  with  all  things,  he  dwelt  suffusing  the  all- 
embracing  earth  with  thoughts  of  friendliness,  compassion,  sym- 
pathy, and  indifference, — ample,  far-reaching,  boundless,  free 
from  enmity,  free  from  ill-will. 

Now,  Ananda,  King  Nimi  for  eighty-four  thousand  years  di- 
verted himself  with  the  diversions  of  a  royal  prince ;  for  eighty- 


Par.  32.]  Heavenly  Messengers  103 

four  thousand  years  exercised  the  functions  of  a  viceroy;  for 
eighty-four  thousand  years  exercised  the  functions  of  a  king;  for 
eighty-four  thousand  years,  in  this  very  Makhadeva  Mango 
Grove,  having  retired  from  the  house-life  to  the  houseless  life,  led 
the  Holy  Life.  He  cultivated  the  Four  Exalted  States,  and  after 
death,  upon  dissolution  of  the  body,  was  reborn  in  the  Brahma 

World. 

Now,  Ananda,  King  Nimi  had  a  son  named  Kalarajanaka.  He 
did  not  retire  from  the  house-life  to  the  houseless  life.  He  up- 
rooted that  splendid  succession.  He  was  the  last  man  of  the  line. 

"Now,  Ananda,  it  may  be  that  the  thought  has  occurred  to  you:  'At 
that  time  some  one  other  than  the  Exalted  One  was  King  Makhadeva, 
by  whom  that  splendid  succession  was  established.'  But,  Ananda,  this 
is  not  the  proper  view  to  take.  I,  at  that  time,  was  King  Makhadeva. 
I  established  that  splendid  succession.  By  me  that  splendid  succes- 
sion was  founded.  Those  who  came  after  me  kept  it  going.  But, 
Ananda,  that  splendid  succession  conduces,  not  to  utter  disgust,  not 
to  detachment,  not  to  cessation,  not  to  tranquillity,  not  to  higher 
wisdom,  not  to  enlightenment, — only  to  rebirth  in  the  World  of 
Brahma. 

"However,  Ananda,  this  splendid  succession  which  I  have  now 
founded,  does  conduce  to  utter  disgust,  to  detachment,  to  cessation, 
to  tranquillity,  to  higher  wisdom,  to  enlightenment, — to  Nibbana.  But 
Ananda,  what  is  this  splendid  succession  which  I  have  now  founded, 
which  conduces  to  utter  disgust,  to  detachment,  to  cessation,  to  tran- 
quillity, to  higher  wisdom,  to  enlightenment, — to  Nibbana?  It  is  this 
alone :"  the  Noble  Eightfold  Path ;  to  wit.  Right  Views,  Right  Resolu- 
tion, Right  Speech,  Right  Conduct,  Right  Means  of  Livelihood,  Right 
Exertion,  Right  Mindfulness,  Right  Concentration.  This,  Ananda,  is 
the  splendid  succession  which  I  have  now  founded,  which  conduces  to 
utter  disgust,  to  detachment,  to  cessation,  to  tranquillity,  to  higher 
wisdom,  to  enlightenment, — to  Nibbana. 

"Therefore,  Ananda,  I  say  this  to  you.  Inasmuch  as  I  have  founded 
this  splendid  succession,  it  is  your  duty  tokeep  it  going;  you  must 
not  be  the  last  man  to  follow  me.  If  ever,  Ananda,  in  the  lifetime  of 
two  men,  one  uproots  the  succession,  he  is  the  last  man  of  the  line. 
Therefore,  Ananda,  I  say  this  to  you :  Inasmuch  as  I  have  founded  this 
splendid  succession,  it  is  your  duty  to  keep  it  going;  you  must  not  be 
the  last  man  to  follow  me." 

Thus  spoke  the  Exalted  One.  Venerable  Ananda,  pleased,  applauded 
the  words  of  the  Exalted  One. 


104.  Cremated  1J^,000  Times!  [Chap.  VII. 

33.  UPASALHAKA 

Cremated  fourteen  thousand  times  in  one  place! 
Jataka  166:  ii.  54-56. 

Of  men  named  Upasdlhaka.  This  parable  was  related  by  the  Teacher 
while  he  was  in  residence  at  Jetavana  with  reference  to  a  certain 
Brahman  who  requested  that  his  body  be  burned  in  an  unpolluted 
burning-ground. 

This  Brahman,  we  are  told,  was  rich,  possessed  of  great  wealth,  but 
because  of  the  views  which  he  held,  althougli  tlie  Buddhas  were  in 
residence  at  a  neighboring  monastery,  withheld  from  them  his  bounden 
duty  and  service.  But  he  had  a  son  who  was  wise,  endowed  with 
knowledge. 

When  this  Brahman  was  an  old  man,  he  said  to  his  son:  "Son,  on  no 
account  permit  my  body  to  be  burned  in  a  burning-ground  where  any 
other  man,  an  outcaste  perhaps,  has  ever  been  burned;  instead,  cause 
my  body  to  be  burned  in  an  absolutely  unpolluted  burning-ground." 
"Father,  for  my  part,  I  know  of  no  place  corresponding  to  your 
description.  The  best  plan  would  be  for  you  to  take  me  with  you  to 
some  such  place  as  you  have  in  mind,  and  for  you  yourself  to  point  it 
out  to  me,  saying:  'This  is  the  place  where  you  must  have  mj^  body 
burned.'  " 

"Very  well,  son,"  said  the  Brahman,  and  taking  his  son  with  him, 
departed  from  the  city  and  climbed  to  the  top  of  Vulture  Peak.  "Son," 
said  he,  "here  is  a  place  where  no  other  man,  an  outcaste  perhaps,  has 
ever  been  burned;  here  is  the  place  where  you  must  have  my  body 
burned."  So  saying,  he  began  the  descent  from  the  mountain,  accom- 
panied by  his  son. 

But  the  Teacher,  that  very  day,  at  time  of  dawn,  surveying  his 
kinsmen  who  were  ripe  for  conversion,  saw  that  these  two,  father  and 
son,  were  capable  of  attaining  the  Path  of  Conversion.  Accordingly, 
taking  the  road,  he  went  to  the  foot  of  the  mountain  like  a  hunter  on 
the  scent,  and  sat  down  and  waited  for  the  two  to  descend  from  the 
top  of  the  mountain. 

As  father  and  son  descended,  they  saw  the  Teacher.  The  Teacher 
exchanged  friendly  greetings  with  them  and  asked:  "Where  liave  you 
been,  Brahmans?"  The  Brahman  youth  told  him  all  about  it.  Said 
the  Teacher:  "Well  then,  come  along;  let's  go  to  the  place  your  father 
pointed  out."  And  taking  father  and  son,  he  climbed  to  the  top  of  the 
mountain  and  asked:  "Which  is  the  place?"  Said  the  Brahman  youth: 
"Reverend  Sir,  he  pointed  out  the  hollow  between  these  three  moun- 
tains." 

Said  the  Teacher:  "Youth,  not  only  in  this  present  state  of  existence 
has  your  father  sought  an  unpolluted  burning-ground;   in  a  previous 


Par.  33.]  Upasdlhakd  105 

state  of  existence  also  he  sought  an  unpolluted  burning-ground.  Not 
only  in  this  present  state  of  existence  has  he  pointed  out  a  place  to 
you  and  said:  'This  is  the  only  place  where  you  may  have  my  body 
burned;'  in  a  previous  state  of  existence  also  he  pointed  out  a  place 
where  he  would  have  his  body  burned."  Then,  in  response  to  a  request 
of  the  Brahman  youth,  the  Teacher  related  the  following  Story  of  the 
Past: 

In  times  past,  in  this  very  city  of  Rajagaha,  this  very  Upa- 
salhaka  was  a  Brahman,  and  this  very  youth  was  his  son.  At  that 
time  the  Future  Buddha  was  reborn  in  the  kingdom  of  Magadha 
in  the  household  of  a  Brahman.  After  perfecting  himself  in  the 
various  arts  and  crafts,  he  adopted  the  life  of  an  ascetic  and 
developed  the  Higher  Powers  and  the  Attainments.  For  a  long 
time  he  resided  in  the  region  of  Himavat  diverting  himself  with 
the  diversion  of  the  Trances.  Afterwards,  in  order  that  he  might 
obtain  salt  and  vinegar,  he  took  up  his  residence  in  a  leaf-hut  on 
Vulture  Peak. 

At  that  time  this  Brahman  addressed  his  son  in  the  very  same 
way,  and  when  the  son  said,  "You  yourself  point  out  to  me  the 
kind  of  place  you  have  in  mind,"  the  father  pointed  out  this  very 
place.  And  when  the  father,  descending  from  the  mountain,  saw 
the  Future  Buddha,  he  approached  the  Future  Buddha.  And  when 
the  Future  Buddha,  in  the  very  same  way,  questioned  the  Brahman 
and  the  Brahman  youth,  and  heard  the  Brahman  youth's  reply, 
he  said:  "Come  along!  we'll  find  out  whether  the  place  your 
father  pointed  out  is  polluted  or  unpolluted !"  And  having  climbed 
to  the  top  of  the  mountain  with  them,  when  the  Brahman  youth 
remarked,  "Here  is  the  unpolluted  place,  between  these  three 
mountains,"  the  Future  Buddha  said : 

"Youth,  there  is  no  counting  the  number  of  those  whose  bodies 
have  been  burned  in  this  very  place.  Your  very  father,  reborn  in 
this  very  city  of  Rajagaha,  in  this  very  Brahman  household,  called 
by  this  very  name  Upasalhaka,  in  this  very  hollow  among  the 
mountains,  was  burned  in  fourteen  thousand  previous  states  of 
existence!  For  on  the  earth  it  is  impossible  to  find  a  place  where 
human  bodies  have  not  been  burned,  a  place  which  has  not  served 
as  a  burning-ground,  a  place  which  has  not  been  heaped  and 
covered  with  human  heads!"  And  encompassing  the   facts   with 


106  No  Dear  Ones,  No  Sorrows  [Chap.  VII. 

his  knowledge  of  previous  states  of  existence,  he  recited  the  fol- 
lowing pair  of  stanzas : 

Of  men  named  Upasalhaka,  fourteen  thousand 

Were  burned  in  this  place. 

There  is  no  place  in  this  world 

Which  has  never  been  touched  by  death. 

But  in  what  man  be  truth  and  righteousness 

And  non-injury  and  self-restraint  and  self-control^ — 

This  is  the  goal  of  the  Noble^ — 

This,  in  this  very  world 

Is  Deathless  Absolute. 


34.  UBBIRI 

Will/  xveep  for  eighty-four  thousand  daughters? 
Therl-gatha  Commentary  No.  33. 

Ubbiri  was  reborn  in  the  dispensation  of  the  present  Buddha  at 
Savatthi,  in  the  family  of  a  wealthy  householder,  and  she  was 
exceedingly  beautiful  and  fair  to  see.  When  she  reached  woman- 
hood, she  was  conducted  to  the  house  of  the  king  of  Kosala,  and 
after  a  few  years  had  passed,  obtained  an  only  daughter.  To  the 
latter  they  gave  the  name  JivantI,  or  Living.  The  king,  seeing  her 
daughter,  was  pleased  at  heart,  and  conferred  upon  Ubbiri  the 
ceremonial  sprinkling  of  a  queen. 

But  when  her  daughter  was  old  enough  to  walk  and  to  run 
hither  and  yon,  she  died.  Every  day  the  mother  went  to  the 
burning-ground  where  her  body  was  laid,  and  wept.  One  day  she 
went  to  the  Teacher,  saluted  him,  sat  down  for  a  short  while,  and 
then  departed.  Standing  on  the  bank  of  the  river  AciravatI,  she 
wept  for  her  daughter. 

Seeing  her,  the  Teacher,  just  as  he  sat  in  the  Perfumed 
Chamber,  manifested  himself  to  her,  and  asked  her :  "Why  do  you 
lament.?"  "I  lament  for  my  daughter.  Exalted  One."  "In  this 
burning-ground  have  been  burned  eighty-four  thousand  daughters 
of  yours.  For  which  one  of  these  do  you  lament.''"  And  pointing 
out  the  spot  where  this  one  had  been  burned,  where  that,  he  uttered 
the  first  half  of  a  stanza: 


Par.  35.]  Visdkhd's  Sorrow  107 

You  cry  in  the  wood:  "O  Jiva  dear!" 

Come  to  yourself,  O  Ubbiri ! 

In  all,  eighty-four  thousand 

Daughters  of  yours  named  Jiva 

Have  been  burned  in  this  burning-ground. 

For  which  one  of  these  do  you  lament? 

After  the  Teacher  had  taught  her  this  lesson,  she  extended 
her  knowledge  in  conformity  with  the  lesson,  laid  hold  on  Insight, 
and  both  by  the  charm  of  the  Teacher's  lesson  and  by  her  own 
accumulation  of  causes  in  previous  states  of  existence,  became 
established  in  the  highest  of  the  Fruits,  Sainthood.  And  having 
attained  Sainthood,  she  made  known  the  Specific  Attainment  she 
had  attained  by  uttering  the  second  half  of  the  stanza : 

Ah !  he  has  drawn  out  the  arrow, 
So  hard  to  find,  that  was  in  my  heart. 
For  when  I  was  overcome  with  sorrow, 
He  banished  my  sorrow  for  my  daughter. 

I  here  to-day  am  one  from  whom  an  arrow  has  been  drawn, 
I  am  cut  off  from  the  world,  I  am  gone  to  Nibbana. 
I  seek  refuge  in  the  Sage, — the  Buddha, 
And  in  the  Doctrine,  and  in  the  Order. 


35.  VISAKHA'S  SORROW 

So  many  dear  ones,  so  many  sorrows. 
Udanaviii.8:91-92. 

Thus  have  I  heard:  Once  upon  a  time  the  Exalted  One  was  in 
residence  at  Savatthi,  in  Eastern  Grove,  in  Visakha  Mother  of 
Migara's  mansion.  Now  at  that  time  Visakha  Mother  of  Migara's 
granddaughter  had  died,  and  she  was  Visakha's  darling  and  de- 
light. And  Visakha  Mother  of  Migara,  garments  wet,  hair  wet, 
at  an  untimely  hour  approached  the  Exalted  One.  And  having 
approached,  she  saluted  the  Exalted  One  and  sat  down  on  one 
side.  And  as  she  sat  there  on  one  side,  the  Exalted  One  said  this 
to  Visakha  Mother  of  Migara :  "Well,  Visakha,  how  is  it  that  you 
come  here  at  such  an  untimely  hour,  approaching  with  garments 
wet,  with  hair  wet.?"  "Reverend  Sir,  my  granddaughter  has  died, 


108  No  Dear  Ones,  No  Sorrows  [Chap.  VII. 

and  she  was  my  darling  and  deliglit.  That  is  why  I  approach  at 
such  an  untimely  hour,  with  garments  wet,  with  hair  wet." 

"Should  you  like,  Visakha,  to  have  as  many  children  and  grand- 
children as  there  are  human  beings  in  Savatthi.?"  "I  should  like, 
Reverend  Sir,  to  have  as  many  children  and  grandchildren  as 
there  are  human  beings  in  Savatthi."  "But,  Visakha,  how  many 
human  beings  die  every  day  in  Savatthi.?"  "Reverend  Sir,  ten 
human  beings  die  every  day  in  Savatthi,  nine  .  .  .  eight  .  .  . 
seven  .  .  .  six  .  .  .  five  .  .  .  four  .  .  .  three  .  .  .  two  .  .  . 
one.  My  granddaughter.  Reverend  Sir,  is  in  no  class  by  herself, 
apart  from  the  other  human  beings  who  die  in  Savatthi."  "What 
think  you,  Visakha.?  Should  you  ever,  at  any  time,  be  without 
garments  wet,  without  hair  wet.?"  "No  indeed.  Reverend  Sir." 

"Verily,  Visakha,  they  that  hold  a  hundred  dear,  have  a  hun- 
dred sorrows ;  .  .  .  ninety  .  .  .  eighty  .  .  .  seventy  .  .  .  sixty 
.  .  .  fifty  .  .  .  forty  .  .  .  thirty  .  .  .  twenty  .  .  .  ten  .  .  . 
nine  .  .  .  eight  .  .  .  seven  .  .  .  six  .  .  .  five  .  .  .  four  .  .  . 
three  .  .  .  two  .  .  .  one.  They  that  hold  nothing  dear,  have  no 
sorrow.  Free  from  grief  are  they, — free  from  passion,  free  from 
despair.  So  say  I." 

Whatsoever  griefs  or  lamentations  or  sorrows 
Are  in  the  world,  of  whatsoever  sort  or  kind, 
Arise  because  of  something  that  is  held  dear. 
If  nothing  be  held  dear,  these  arise  not. 

Therefore  they  only  are  happy,  they  only  are  free  from  grief. 
Who  hold  absolutely  nothing  in  this  world  dear. 

Therefore  whoever  desires  to  be  free  from  grief,  free  from  passion, 
Should  liold  absolutely  nothing  in  tliis  world  dear. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

PARABLES  FROM  THE  LONG  DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SUB- 
JECT: "IS  THERE  A  LIFE  AFTER  DEATH?" 

Digha  23  :ii.  319-352. 

On  a  certain  occasion  Payasi  the  Warrior  said  to  Venerable  Kumara 
Kassapa:  "I,  my  lord  Kassapa,  hold  this  doctrine,,  this  view:  'There  is 
no  life  after  death;  there  are  no  living  beings  reborn  without  the 
intervention  of  parents ;  there  is  no  fruition,  no  ripening,  of  good  and 
evil  deeds.'  "  "Warrior,  I  never  encountered  or  heard  such  a  view. 
For  how  can  a  man  say  such  a  thing  as  this:  'There  is  no  life  after 
death;  there  are  no  living  beings  reborn  without  the  intervention  of 
parents ;  there  is  no  fruition,  no  ripening,  of  good  and  evil  deeds'  ?  Have 
you  any  reason  for  this  view?"  "My  lord  Kassapa,  I  have  a  reason  for 
this  view."  "Warrior,  what  is  it  like?" 

The  wicked  do  not  return  to  earth. 

"Here,  my  lord  Kassapa,  I  have  friends  and  companions,  kinsmen 
and  relatives,  who  are  murderers,  thieves,  fornicators  and  adulterers, 
liars,  backbiters,  calumniators,  triflers,  covetous,  malevolent  of  spirit, 
holders  of  false  views.  Sometimes  they  fall  sick,  suffer  pain,  are  in  a 
bad  way.  When  I  feel  certain  that  these  men  will  not  recover  from  that 
sickness,  I  go  to  them  and  speak  thus:  'There  are  some  monks  and 
Brahmans  who  hold  this  doctrine,  this  view:  "Men  who  are  murderers, 
thieves,  fornicators  and  adulterers,  liars,  backbiters,  calumniators, 
triflers,  covetous,  malevolent  of  spirit,  holders  of  false  views, — such 
men,  on  dissolution  of  the  body,  after  death,  go  to  a  state  of  punish- 
ment, to  a  state  of  pain,  to  a  state  of  suffering,  to  hell."  You,  sirs,  are 
such  men.  If  the  words  of  these  reverend  monks  and  Brahmans  are 
true,  you,  sirs,  on  dissolution  of  the  body,  after  death,  will  go  to  a 
state  of  punishment,  to  a  state  of  pain,  to  a  state  of  suffering,  to  hell. 
If,  on  dissolution  of  the  body,  after  death,  you  should  be  reborn  in  a 
state  of  punishment,  in  a  state  of  pain,  in  a  state  of  suffering,  in  hell, 
pray  return  and  say  to  me:  "There  is  a  life  after  death;  there  are  living 
beings  reborn  without  the  intervention  of  parents;  there  is  a  fruition, 
a  ripening,  of  good  and  evil  deeds."  '  Now  my  friends  are  trustworthy 
and  reliable.  If  my  friends  saw  anything  and  said  they  had  seen  it, 
such  a  thing  would  necessarily  be  true.  'Very  well,'  say  they,  giving 
me  their  word.  But  for  all  that,  they  never  return  and  say  it,  nor  do 


110  Does  Death  End  All?  [Chap.  VIII. 

they  send  a  messenger  either.  This,  my  lord  Kassapa,  is  one  reason 
why  I  hold  the  view:  'There  is  no  life  after  death;  there  are  no  living 
beings  reborn  without  the  intervention  of  parents ;  there  is  no  fruition, 
no  ripening,  of  good  and  evil  deeds.'  " 

"Well,  \\'arrior,  I  will  reply  by  asking  you  a  question  on  the  subject. 
You  may  answer  it  in  any  way  you  please.  Warrior,  what  have  you 
to  say  to  the  following?" 


36.  THE  CONDEMNED  CRIMINAL 

Suppose  your  men  were  to  capture  a  brigand,  a  criminal,  and 
arraign  him  here  before  you,  saying:  "Here,  lord,  is  a  brigand,  a 
criminal.  Inflict  upon  him  whatever  punishment  you  desire."  And 
you  were  to  say:  "Well,  take  this  fellow,  bind  his  arms  tight 
behind  his  back  with  a  stout  rope,  shave  his  head,  and  to  the  loud 
beating  of  a  drum  lead  him  about  from  street  to  street,  from 
crossing  to  crossing,  conduct  him  out  of  the  South  gate,  and  cut 
off  his  head  in  the  place  of  execution  south  of  the  city."  And 
they  were  to  say :  "Very  well ;"  and  in  obedience  to  your  command 
were  to  take  that  fellow,  bind  his  arms  tight  behind  his  back  with 
a  stout  rope,  shave  his  head,  and  to  the  loud  beating  of  a  drum 
lead  him  about  from  street  to  street,  from  crossing  to  crossing, 
conduct  him  out  of  the  South  gate,  and  make  him  sit  down  in 
the  place  of  execution  south  of  the  city.  And  suppose  that  brigand 
were  to  say  to  his  executioners :  "Let  my  lord-executioners  wait, — 
in  such-and-such  a  village  or  market-town  I  have  friends  and  com- 
panions, kinsmen  and  relatives, — until  I  show  myself  to  them  and 
return."  Would  he  obtain  his  request .?  Would  not  the  executioners 
rather,  even  as  he  babbled,  cut  off  his  head.'^ 

"Quite  right,  my  lord  Kassapa." 

"Suppose,  Warrior,  your  friends  reborn  in  hell  say  to  the  warders 
of  hell:  'Let  our  lord-warders  of  hell  wait  until  we  go  and  say  to 
Payasi  the  Warrior:  "There  is  a  life  after  death;  there  are  living 
beings  reborn  without  the  intervention  of  parents ;  there  is  a  fruition, 
a  ripening,  of  good  and  evil  deeds."  '  Are  they  likely  to  obtain  their 
request?" 

But  Payasi  the  Warrior  remained  unconvinced.  Said  he: 

The  virtuous  do  not  return  to  earth. 

"Here,  my  lord  Kassapa,  I  have  friends  and  companions,  kinsmen 
and  relatives,  who  refrain  from  murder,  theft,  fornication  and  adultery. 


Par.  37.]  Man  in  Dung-pit  111 

lying,  backbiting,  calumny,  trifling,  covetousness,  malevolence  of  spirit, 
holders  of  orthodox  views.  Sometimes  they  fall  sick,  suffer  pain,  are 
in  a  bad  way.  When  I  feel  certain  that  these  men  will  not  recover  from 
that  sickness,  I  go  to  them  and  speak  thus :  'There  are  some  monks  and 
Bralimans  who  hold  this  doctrine,  this  view:  "Men  who  refrain  from 
murder,  theft,  fornication  and  adultery,  lying,  backbiting,  calumny, 
trifling,  covetousness,  malevolence  of  spirit,  holders  of  orthodox  views, 
— such  men,  on  dissolution  of  the  body,  after  death,  go  to  a  state  of 
bliss,  to  heaven."  You,  sirs,  are  such  men.  If  the  words  of  these 
reverend  monks  and  Brahmans  are  true,  you,  sirs,  on  dissolution  of 
the  body,  after  death,  will  go  to  a  state  of  bliss,  to  heaven.  If,  on  dis- 
solution of  the  body,  after  death,  you  should  be  reborn  in  a  state  of 
bliss,  in  heaven,  pray  return  and  say  to  me:  "There  is  a  life  after 
death;  there  are  living  beings  reborn  without  the  intervention  of 
parents ;  there  is  a  fruition,  a  ripening,  of  good  and  evil  deeds."  '  Now 
my  friends  are  trustworthy  and  reliable.  If  my  friends  saw  anything 
and  said  they  had  seen  it,  such  a  thing  would  necessarily  be  true. 
'Very  well,'  say  they,  giving  me  their  word.  But  for  all  that,  they 
never  return  and  say  it,  nor  do  they  send  a  messenger  either.  This,  my 
lord  Kassapa,  is  another  reason  why  I  hold  the  view:  'There  is  no  life 
after  death ;  there  are  no  living  beings  reborn  without  the  intervention 
of  parents ;  there  is  no  fruition,  no  ripening,  of  good  and  evil  deeds.'  " 
"Well,  Warrior,  I  will  compose  a  parable  for  you.  Even  by  a  parable 
does  many  a  man  of  intelligence  in  this  world  comprehend  the  meaning 
of  a  statement." 


37.  THE  MAN  IN  THE  DUNG-PIT 

Warrior,  it  is  precisely  as  though  a  man  were  submerged  in  a 
dung-pit,  head  and  all.  And  you  were  to  order  your  men:  "Now 
then,  pull  that  man  out  of  that  dung-pit."  And  they  were  to  say : 
"Very  well;"  and  in  obedience  to  your  command  were  to  pull  that 
man  out  of  that  dung-pit.  And  you  were  to  say  to  them:  "Now 
then,  scrape  the  dung  from  off  the  body  of  that  man,  and  scrape 
it  well."  And  they  were  to  say:  "Very  well;"  and  in  obedience  to 
your  command  were  to  scrape  the  dung  from  off  the  body  of  that 
man,  and  were  to  scrape  it  well.  And  you  were  to  say  to  them: 
"Now  then,  massage  the  body  of  that  man  three  times  with  yellow 
clay,  and  massage  it  well."  And  they  were  to  massage  the  body  of 
that  man  three  times  with  yellow  clay,  and  were  to  massage  it  well. 
And  you  were  to  say  to  them:  "Now  then,  anoint  that  man  with 
oil  and  bathe  him  well  three  times  with  soft  bath-powder."  And 
they  were  to  anoint  that  man  with  oil  and  to  bathe  him  well  three 


112  Does  Death  End  All?  [Chap.  VIII. 

times  with  soft  bath-powdei'.  And  you  were  to  say  to  them :  "Now 
then,  dress  that  man's  hair  and  beard."  And  they  were  to  dress 
that  man's  hair  and  beard.  And  you  were  to  say  to  them:  "Now 
then,  present  that  man  with  costly  garlands  and  costly  perfumes 
and  costly  garments."  And  they  were  to  present  that  man  with 
costly  garlands  and  costly  perfumes  and  costly  garments.  And 
you  were  to  say  to  them:  "Now  then,  escort  that  man  into  a 
palace  and  furnish  him  with  the  Five  Pleasures  of  Sense."  And 
they  were  to  escort  that  man  into  a  palace  and  to  furnish  him  with 
the  Five  Pleasures  of  Sense. 

AVhat  think  you,  Warrior?  Would  that  man,  well  bathed,  well 
anointed,  with  hair  and  beard  dressed,  decked  with  garlands  and 
ornaments,  dressed  in  clean  garments,  aloft  in  a  splendid  palace, 
supplied  and  provided  with  the  Five  Pleasures  of  Sense,  ministered 
unto, — would  that  man  desire  to  plunge  once  more  into  that 
dung-pit  ? 

"No,  indeed,  xn\  lord  Kassapa."  "Why  not?"  "A  dung-pit,  my  lord 
Kassapa,  is  a  filthy  place ;  filthy  in  fact,  and  so  regarded ;  foul-smelling 
in  fact,  and  so  regarded;  disgusting  in  fact,  and  so  regarded;  repulsive 
in  fact,  and  so  regarded." 

"Precisely  so.  Warrior,  to  the  gods,  human  beings  are  filthy  and  so 
regarded,  foul-smelling  and  so  regarded,  disgusting  and  so  regarded, 
repulsive  and  so  regarded.  Indeed,  Warrior,  the  stench  of  human 
beings  drives  the  gods  a  hundred  leagues  away!  How  can  you  expect 
your  virtuous  friends,  reborn  in  a  state  of  bliss,  in  heaven,  to  return 
and  sav  to  vou:  'There  is  a  life  after  death;  there  are  living  beings 
reborn  without  the  intervention  of  parents;  there  is  a  fruition,  a  ripen- 
ing, of  good  and  evil  deeds' }" 


The  virtuous  do  not  return  to  earth. 

But  Payasi  the  Warrior,  still  unconvinced,  repeated  once  more  what 
he  had  said  before  regarding  liis  virtuous  friends,  remarking  that  tliose 
of  his  friends  who  had  refrained  from  murder,  theft,  fornication  and 
adultery,  lying,  and  occasions  of  heedlessness  through  tlie  use  of 
intoxicating  liquor  and  spirits,  and  who  therefore,  according  to  the 
monks  and  Bralimans,  must  have  been  reborn  in  the  lieaven  of  the 
Thirty-three  gods,  had  never  returned  to  earth. 

"Well,  Warrior,"  said  Venerable  Kumfira  Kassapa,  "I  will  reply  by 
asking  you  a  question  on  the  subject.  You  may  answer  it  in  any  way 
you  please.  Warrior,  what  have  you  to  say  to  the  following?" 


Par.  39.]  Blind  Man  113 

38.  TIME  IN  HEAVEN 

Warrior,  a  hundred  of  our  years  are  equivalent  to  a  night  and  a 
day  in  the  heaven  of  the  Thirty-three  gods.  Thirty  of  these  nights 
make  up  a  month,  and  twelve  of  these  months  make  up  a  year. 
The  term  of  life  of  the  Thirty-three  gods  is  a  thousand  of  these 
celestial  years.  Your  friends  have  indeed  been  reborn  in  the  heaven 
of  the  Thirty-three  gods.  Now  suppose  the  thought  has  occurred 
to  them :  "We  are  supplied  and  provided  with  the  Five  Pleasures 
of  Sense.  After  we  have  been  ministered  to  for  two  or  three  celes- 
tial nights  and  days,  we  will  go  and  say  such-and-such  to  Payasi 
the  Warrior."  Have  they,  in  fact,  had  time  to  do  so.f" 

How  do  we  know  that  the  gods  exist? 

"No,  indeed,  my  lord  Kassapa.  The  fact  is,  my  lord  Kassapa,  we 
should  be  dead  and  gone  long  before  they  returned.  But  who  told  my 
lord  Kassapa  that  the  Thirty-three  gods  exist,  or  that  they  live  as  long 
as  this.''  I,  my  lord  Kassapa,  do  not  believe  that  the  Thirty-three  gods 
exist,  or  that  they  live  as  long  as  this." 


39.  THE  BLIND  MAN 

Warrior,  it  is  precisely  as  though  a  blind  man  could  not  see 
black  and  white  objects,  could  not  see  blue  objects,  could  not  see 
yellow  objects,  could  not  see  red  objects,  could  not  see  pink 
objects,  could  not  see  even  and  uneven,  could  not  see  the  stars, 
could  not  see  the  moon  and  the  sun.  And  that  man  were  to  say: 
"There  are  no  black  and  white  objects;  there  is  no  one  who  can 
see  black  and  white  objects.  There  are  no  blue  objects;  there  is 
no  one  who  can  see  blue  objects.  There  are  no  yellow  objects; 
there  is  no  one  who  can  see  yellow  objects.  There  are  no  red 
objects;  there  is  no  one  who  can  see  red  objects.  There  are  no  pink 
objects;  there  is  no  one  who  can  see  pink  objects.  There  is  no 
even  and  uneven;  there  is  no  one  who  can  see  even  and  uneven. 
There  are  no  stars ;  there  is  no  one  who  can  see  the  stars.  Moon  and 
sun  do  not  exist ;  there  is  no  one  who  can  see  the  moon  and  the  sun. 
I  do  not  know  them,  I  do  not  see  them;  therefore  they  do  not 
exist."  Warrior,  would  that  man  speak  correctly  were  he  to  speak 
thus.? 


114  Does  Death  End  All?  [Chap.  VIII. 

"No,  indeed,  my  lord  Kassapa.  There  are  black  and  white  objects; 
there  are  those  who  can  see  black  and  white  objects.  There  are  blue 
objects;  there  are  those  who  can  see  blue  objects.  There  are  yellow 
objects;  there  are  those  who  can  see  yellow  objects.  There  are  red 
objects;  there  are  those  who  can  see  red  objects.  There  are  pink 
objects;  there  are  those  who  can  see  pink  objects.  Even  and  uneven  do 
exist;  there  are  those  who  can  see  even  and  uneven.  There  are  stars; 
there  are  those  who  can  see  the  stars.  Moon  and  sun  do  exist;  there  are 
those  M'ho  can  see  the  moon  and  the  sun.  'I  do  not  know  them,  I  do 
not  see  them;  therefore  they  do  not  exist!'  No,  indeed,  my  lord 
Kassapa !  That  man  would  not  speak  correctly  were  he  to  speak  thus." 

"Warrior,  you  are  just  like  the  blind  man  in  the  parable  when  you 
speak  thus:  'But  who  told  my  lord  Kassapa  that  the  Thirty-three  gods 
exist,  or  that  they  live  as  long  as  this?  I,  my  lord  Kassapa,  do  not 
believe  that  the  Thirty-three  gods  exist,  or  that  they  live  as  long  as 
this.' 

"By  no  means.  Warrior,  can  the  next  world  be  seen  in  tlie  way  you 
imagine  it  can, — with  this  Eye  of  Flesh.  But,  let  me  tell  you.  Warrior, 
there  are  monks  and  Brahmans  who  resort  to  forest-hermitages  in  the 
wilderness,  remote  lodgings  where  there  is  little  sound,  little  noise; 
and  there,  living  heedful,  ardent,  resolute,  they  clarify  the  Heavenly 
Eye ;  with  the  Heavenly  Eye,  transcending  any  mere  human  eye,  clari- 
fied, they  behold  not  only  this  world,  but  the  next,  and  living  beings 
reborn  without  the  intervention  of  parents." 

But  Pavasi  the  Warrior  remained  unconvinced.  Said  he: 


Why  do  not  the  virtuous  commit  suicide? 

"Here,  my  lord  Kassapa,  I  see  monks  and  Brahmans  observing  the 
Precepts,  doing  good  works,  desiring  to  live,  not  desiring  to  die, 
desiring  happiness,  avoiding  suffering.  When,  my  lord  Kassapa,  I  see 
them,  the  following  thought  occurs  to  me:  'If  these  reverend  monks 
and  Brahmans  really  knew,  "Better  than  this  would  it  be  were  we 
dead,"  immediately  tiiese  reverend  monks  and  Brahmans,  observing  the 
Precepts,  doing  good  works,  would  either  eat  poison,  or  draw  the 
sword,  or  kill  themselves  by  hanging,  or  jump  off  a  jumping-off  place.' 
But  since  evidently  these  reverend  monks  and  Brahmans  do  not  know, 
"Better  than  this  would  it  be  were  we  dead,"  therefore  these  reverend 
monks  and  Brahmans,  observing  the  Precepts,  doing  good  works,  de- 
siring to  live,  not  desiring  to  die,  desiring  happiness,  avoiding  suffer- 
ing, do  not  kill  themselves.  This,  my  lord  Kassai)a,  is  another  reason 
why  I  hold  the  view:  'There  is  no  life  after  death;  there  are  no  living 
beings  reborn  without  the  intervention  of  parents;  there  is  no  fruition, 
no  ripening,  of  good  and  evil  deeds.'  " 

"Well,  Warrior,  I  will  compose  a  parable  for  you.  Even  by  a  parable 
does  many  a  man  of  intelligence  in  this  world  comprehend  the  meaning 
of  a  statement." 


Par.  40.]  Woman  with  Child  115 

40.  THE  WOMAN  WITH  CHILD 

In  olden  times,  Warrior,  a  certain  Brahman  had  two  wives.  One 
had  a  son  about  ten  or  twelve  years  old ;  the  other  was  with  child, 
about  to  bring  forth.  Now  that  Brahman  died.  And  that  youth 
said  this  to  his  mother's  felloAv:  "My  lady,  whatever  money  or 
grain  or  silver  or  gold  there  is,  all  this  is  mine.  You  have  no  part 
in  this ;  turn  over  to  me,  my  lady,  the  inheritance  of  my  father." 
Upon  this,  that  Brahman's  wife  said  this  to  that  youth:  "Just 
wait,  my  dear,  until  I  bring  forth.  If  it  is  a  boy,  he  also  will  have 
one  portion ;  if  it  is  a  girl,  she  also  will  be  yours  to  be  enjoyed." 

The  second  time  also  the  youth  said  this  to  his  mother's  fellow: 
"My  lady,  whatever  money  or  grain  or  silver  or  gold  there  is,  all 
this  is  mine.  You  have  no  part  in  this ;  turn  over  to  me,  my  lady, 
the  inheritance  of  my  father."  The  second  time  also  that  Brah- 
man's wife  said  this  to  that  youth:  "Just  wait,  my  dear,  until  I 
bring  forth.  If  it  is  a  boy,  he  also  will  have  one  portion;  if  it  is 
a  girl,  she  also  will  be  yours  to  be  enjoyed." 

The  third  time  also  that  youth  said  this  to  his  mother's  fellow : 
"My  lady,  whatever  money  or  grain  or  silver  or  gold  there  is,  all 
this  is  mine.  You  have  no  part  in  this ;  turn  over  to  me,  my  lady, 
the  inheritance  of  my  father." 

Thereupon  that  Brahman's  wife  took  a  sword,  went  into  an 
inner  room,  and  plunged  the  sword  into  her  belly :  "Until  I  know 
whether  it  is  a  boy  or  a  girl!"  She  destroyed  herself,  her  living 
child,  and  her  property.  She  met  destruction  and  ruin,  like  the 
foolish,  short-sighted  woman  she  was,  seeking  an  inheritance  other- 
wise than  in  the  right  way. 

"Precisely  so,  Warrior,  you,  a  foolish,  short-sighted  man,  will  meet 
destruction  and  ruin  by  seeking  the  next  world  otherwise  than  in  the 
right  way,  just  as  that  Brahman's  wife,  that  foohsh,  short-sighted 
woman,  also  met  destruction  and  ruin  by  seeking  an  inheritance  other- 
wise than  in  the  right  way. 

"No,  indeed,  Warrior!  Monks  and  Brahmans  who  observe  the  Pre- 
cepts, who  do  good  works,  permit  what  is  not  yet  ripe  to  become  fully 
ripe.  What  is  more,  being  wise  men,  they  wait  patiently  for  it  to 
become  fully  ripe.  For^  Warrior,  there  is  need  of  monks  and  Brahmans 
who  observe  the  Precepts,  who  do  good  works,  continuing  alive. 
Warrior,  in  the  same  proportion  as  monks  and  Brahmans  who  observe 
the  Precepts,  who  do  good  works,  remain  alive  for  a  long  long  time, 
in  the  same  proportion  they  generate  much  merit  and  act  for  the  wel- 


116  Does  Death  End  All?  [Chap.  VIII. 

fare  of  many,  for  the  happiness  of  many,  out  of  tender  compassion  for 
the  world,  for  the  weal  and  welfare  and  happiness  of  angels  and  men." 
But  Pfivasi  the  Warrior  remained  unconvinced.  Said  he: 

We  cannot  see  the  soul  after  death. 

"Here,  my  lord  Kassapa,  my  men  capture  a  brigand,  a  criminal,  and 
arraign  him  before  me,  saying:  'Here,  lord,  is  a  brigand,  a  criminal. 
Inflict  upon  him  whatever  punishment  j^ou  desire.'  And  I  say  to  them: 
'Well,  place  this  man,  alive  as  ever,  in  a  jar;  put  the  lid  on  the  jar; 
cover  it  with  a  wet  skin;  seal  it  with  a  thick  paste  of  wet  clay;  lift  it 
up  on  the  oven;  start  a  fire.'  'Very  well,'  they  say  to  me.  In  obedience 
to  my  command  they  place  that  man,  alive  as  ever,  in  a  jar,  put  the  lid 
on  the  jar,  cover  it  with  a  wet  skin,  seal  it  with  a  thick  paste  of  wet 
clay,  lift  it  up  on  the  oven,  start  a  fire.  When  we  know,  'That  man  is 
dead,'  then  we  lift  that  jar  down,  break  the  seal,  take  off  the  lid,  and 
look  down  with  bated  breath:  'Perhaps  we  may  see  his  soul  coming 
out!'  But  no!  We  do  not  see  his  soul  coming  out." 

"Well,  Warrior,  I  will  reply  by  asking  you  a  question  on  the  sub- 
ject. You  may  answer  it  in  any  way  you  please." 


41.  WE  CANNOT  SEE  THE  SOUL  DURING  LIFE 

Warrior,  do  you  not  recollect,  while  taking  a  siesta,  seeing  in  a 
dream  the  delights  of  the  grove,  the  delights  of  the  woods,  the 
delights  of  cleared  ground,  the  delights  of  the  lotus-pond.'' — I  do 
recollect,  my  lord  Kassapa,  while  taking  a  siesta,  seeing  in  a  dream 
the  delights  of  the  grove,  the  delights  of  the  woods. — Were  people 
watching  you  at  that  time.'* — Yes. — Did  the}^  see  your  soul  coming 
in  or  going  out.'' — No,  indeed,  my  lord  Kassapa. — So  then,  War- 
rior, although  you  were  alive,  living  persons  did  not  see  your  soul 
coming  in  or  going  out.  How  then,  after  your  death,  could  they 
be  expected  to  see  your  soul  coming  in  or  going  out.'* 

But  Payasi  the  Warrior  remained  unconvinced.  Said  he: 

The  dead  are  heavier  than  the  liting. 

"Here,  my  lord  Kassapa,  my  men  capture  a  brigand,  a  criminal,  and 
arraign  him  before  me,  saying:  'Here,  lord,  is  a  brigand,  a  criminal. 
Inflict  upon  him  whatever  punishment  you  desire.'  And  I  say  to  them: 
'Well,  weigh  this  man,  while  yet  alive,  in  the  balances;  strangle  him 
to  death  with  a  bow-string;  then  weigh  him  again  in  the  balances.' 
'Very  well,'  they  say  to  me.  In  obedience  to  my  command  they  weigh 
that  man,  while  yet  alive,  in  the  balances,  strangle  him  to  death  with 
a  bow-string,  and  then  weigh  him  again  in  the  balances.  When  he  is 


Par.  42.]  Heat  Makes  Things  Light  117 

alive,  then  he  is  lighter  and  softer  and  more  pliable.  But  when  he  is 
dead,  then  he  is  heavier,  more  rigid,  less  pliable." 

"Well  then,  Warrior,  I  will  compose  a  parable  for  you." 


42.  HEAT  MAKES  THINGS  LIGHT 

Suppose,  Warrior,  a  man  were  to  weigh  in  the  balances  an  iron 
ball  which  had  been  heated  all  day  until  it  was  red-hot,  glowing, 
gleaming,  flaring;  and  suppose,  afterwards,  he  were  to  weigh  in 
the  balances  that  same  iron  ball,  cold,  extinguished.  When  would 
that  iron  ball  be  lighter,  softer,  more  pliable, — when  it  was  glow- 
ing, gleaming,  flaring, — or  when  it  was  cold,  extinguished.? 

When,  my  lord  Kassapa,  that  iron  ball  was  connected  with 
heat,  was  connected  with  wind,  when  it  was  glowing,  gleaming, 
flaring,  then  it  was  lighter  and  softer  and  more  pliable.  But  when 
that  iron  ball  was  not  connected  with  heat,  was  not  connected 
with  wind,  when  it  was  cold,  extinguished,  then  it  was  heavier, 
more  rigid,  less  pliable. 

"Precisely  so.  Warrior,  when  this  body  is  connected  with  life,  and 
connected  with  heat,  and  connected  with  consciousness,  then  it  is 
lighter  and  softer  and  more  pliable.  But  when  this  body  is  not  con- 
nected with  life,  is  not  connected  with  heat,  is  not  connected  with 
consciousness,  then  it  is  heavier,  more  rigid,  less  pliable." 

But  Payasi  the  Warrior  remained  unconvinced.  Said  he: 

We  cannot  see  the  soid. 

"Here,  my  lord  Kassapa,  my  men  capture  a  brigand,  a  criminal,  and 
arraign  him  before  me,  saying:  'Here,  lord,  is  a  brigand,  a  criminal. 
Inflict  upon  him  whatever  punishment  you  desire.'  And  I  say  to  them: 
'Well,  batter  this  man, — cuticle  and  skin  and  flesh  and  sinews  and 
bones  and  marrow, — and  deprive  him  of  life.'  'Very  well,'  they  say  to 
me.  In  obedience  to  my  command  they  batter  that  man, — cuticle  and 
skin  and  flesh  and  sinews  and  bones  and  marrow, — and  deprive  him  of 
life.  When  he  is  half-dead,  I  say  to  them:  'Now  then,  fling  this  man 
down  on  his  back.  Perhaps  we  may  see  his  soul  coming  out !'  They  fling 
that  man  down  on  his  back.  But  no !  We  do  not  see  his  soul  coming  out ! 

"I  say  to  them:  'Now  then,  fling  this  man  down  bent  double  .  .  . 
on  one  side  ...  on  the  other  side  .  .  .  ;  stand  him  right  side  up  .  .  . 
up  side  down  .  .  .  ;  beat  him  with  the  hand  .  .  .  with  clods  .  .  .  with 
a  stick  .  .  .  with  a  sword ;  shake  him  down  .  .  .  shake  him  together 
.  .  .  shake  him  out.  Perhaps  we  may  see  his  soul  coming  out !'  They 
do  so.  But  no !  We  do  not  see  his  soul  coming  out ! 

"Now  he  has  that  same  organ  of  sight,  the  eye;  but  that  organ  does 


118  Does  Death  End  All?  [Chap.  VIII. 

not  sense  these  visihle  ohjects.  He  has  that  same  organ  of  hearing, 
the  ear;  but  that  organ  does  not  sense  these  sounds.  He  has  that  same 
organ  of  smell,  the  nose;  but  that  organ  does  not  sense  these  odors. 
He  has  that  same  organ  of  taste,  the  tongue ;  but  tliat  organ  does  not 
sense  these  flavors.  He  has  that  same  organ  of  touch,  the  body;  but 
that  organ  does  not  sense  these  objects  of  touch." 

"Well  then,  Warrior,  I  will  compose  a  parable  for  you." 


43.  VILLAGERS  AND  TRUMPET 

In  olden  times,  V^arrior,  a  certain  trumpeter  went  to  a  frontier 
district  with  his  trumpet.  He  approached  a  certain  village,  and 
having  approached,  stood  in  the  centre  of  the  village,  blew  the 
trumpet  three  times,  set  the  trumpet  on  the  ground,  and  sat  down 
on  one  side. 

Now,  Warrior,  to  those  frontiersmen  occurred  the  following 
thought :  "What  is  it  that  makes  that  sound, — so  charming,  so  de- 
lightful, so  intoxicating,  so  fascinating,  so  infatuating.'"'  Assem- 
bling, they  said  this  to  that  trumpet-blower :  "Sir,  what  is  it  that 
makes  that  sound, — so  charming,  so  delightful,  so  intoxicating,  so 
fascinating,  so  infatuating.?"  "Friends,  it  is  that  trumpet  which 
makes  that  sound, — so  charming,  so  delightful,  so  intoxicating,  so 
fascinating,  so  infatuating." 

They  flung  that  trumpet  down  on  its  bottom.  "Speak,  O  trum- 
pet !  Speak,  O  trumpet !"  But  no  !  That  trumpet  made  not  a  sound ! 
They  flung  that  trumpet  down  bent  double  ...  on  one  side  .  .  . 
on  the  other  side  .  .  .  ;  they  stood  it  right  side  up  ...  up  side 
down  .  .  .  ;  they  beat  it  with  the  hand  .  .  .  with  clods  .  .  .  with 
a  stick  .  .  .  with  a  sword  .  .  .  ;  they  shook  it  down  .  .  .  shook 
it  together  .  .  .  shook  it  out.  "Speak,  O  trumpet!  Speak,  O 
trumpet !"  But  no !  That  trumpet  made  not  a  sound ! 

Then,  Warrior,  to  that  trumpet-blower  occurred  the  following 
thought :  "How  foolish  these  frontiersmen  are !  How  can  they  hope 
to  hear  the  sound  of  the  trumpet  by  seeking  otherwise  than  in  the 
right  way.?"  With  the  frontiersmen  watching  him,  he  picked  up 
the  trumpet,  blew  the  trumpet  three  times,  and  walked  off  with 
the  trumpet. 

Then,  Warrior,  to  those  frontiersmen  occurred  the  following 
thought:  "Ah!  When  this  trumpet  is  connected  with  a  human 
being,  and  is  connected  with  exertion,  and  is  connected  with  wind, 


Par.  44.]  Search  for  Fire  119 

then  this  trumpet  makes  a  sound !  But  when  this  trumpet  is  not 
connected  with  a  human  being,  is  not  connected  with  exertion,  is 
not  connected  with  wind,  then  this  trumpet  makes  no  sound !" 

"Precisely  so^  Warrior^  when  this  body  is  connected  with  life,  and 
is  connected  with  heat,  and  is  connected  with  consciousness,  then  it 
advances  and  retires  and  stands  and  sits  and  lies  down ;  then  it  sees 
visible  objects  with  the  eye,  and  hears  sounds  with  the  ear,  and  smells 
odors  with  the  nose,  and  tastes  flavors  with  the  tongue,  and  touches 
objects  of  touch  with  the  body,  and  understands  the  Doctrine  with  the 
mind.  But  when  this  body  is  not  connected  with  life,  and  is  not  con- 
nected wth  heat,  and  is  not  connected  with  consciousness,  then  it  does 
not  advance,  does  not  retire,  does  not  sit,  does  not  lie  down;  then  it 
does  not  see  visible  objects  with  the  eye,  and  does  not  hear  sounds 
with  the  ear,  and  does  not  smell  odors  with  the  nose,  and  does  not  taste 
flavors  with  the  tongue,  and  does  not  touch  objects  of  touch  with  the 
body,  and  does  not  understand  the  Doctrine  with  the  mind." 

But  Payasi  the  Warrior  remained  unconvinced.  Said  he: 

We  cannot  see  the  soul. 

"Here,  my  lord  Kassapa,  my  men  capture  a  brigand,  a  criminal,  and 
arraign  him  before  me  saying:  'Here,  lord,  is  a  brigand,  a  criminal. 
Inflict  upon  him  whatever  punishment  you  desire.'  And  I  say  to  them: 
'Well,  cut  this  man's  cuticle.  Perhaps  we  may  see  his  soul  coming  out !' 
They  cut  that  man's  cuticle.  But  no !  We  do  not  see  that  man's  soul 
coming  out!  I  say  to  them:  'Now  then,  cut  this  man's  skin  .  .  .  flesh 
.  .  .  sinews  .  .  .  bones  .  .  .  marrow.  Perhaps  we  may  see  his  soul 
coming  out !'  But  no !  We  do  not  see  his  soul  coming  out !" 

"Well  then.  Warrior,  I  will  compose  a  parable  for  you." 


44.  THE  SEARCH  FOR  FIRE 

In  olden  times,  Warrior,  a  fire-worshipper,  a  Jatila,  dwelt  in  a 
forest-abode,  in  a  leaf-hut.  Now,  Warrior,  a  certain  country  dis- 
trict rose  in  revolt.  And  that  multitude  spent  one  night  near  the 
hermitage  of  that  fire-worshipper,  that  Jatila,  and  departed. 
Now,  Warrior,  to  that  fire-worshipper,  that  Jatila,  occurred  the 
following  thought :  "Suppose  I  were  to  approach  that  encamp- 
ment !  Perhaps  I  may  find  something  of  use  there !" 

Accordingly  that  fire-worshipper,  that  Jatila,  arose  betimes 
and  approached  that  encampment.  Having  approached,  he  saw 
in  that  encampment,  abandoned,  a  slip  of  a  young  boy  lying  on 
his  back.  When  he  saw  him,  the  following  thought  occurred  to 


120  Does  Death  End  All?  [Chap.  VIII. 

him :  "It  would  ill  become  me  were  a  human  being  to  die  with  me 
looking  on.  Suppose  I  were  to  lead  this  boy  to  my  hermitage,  and 
to  bring  him  up  and  feed  him  and  rear  him!"  Accordingly  that 
fire-worsliipper,  that  Jatila,  led  that  boy  to  his  hermitage,  and 
brought  him  up  and  fed  him  and  reared  him. 

When  that  boy  was  about  ten  or  twelve  years  old,  that  fire- 
worshipper,  that  Jatila,  had  occasion  to  go  to  the  country  on  some 
business  or  other.  Now  that  fire-worshipper,  that  Jatila,  said  this 
to  that  boy:  "I  desire,  my  son,  to  go  to  the  country.  Please  tend 
the  fire,  and  do  not  let  it  go  out  on  you.  Only,  if  the  fire  should  go 
out  on  you, — here  is  a  hatchet,  here  are  sticks  of  wood,  here  is 
a  fire-drill, — please  kindle  the  fire  and  tend  it."  And  having  thus 
instructed  that  boy,  that  fire-worshipper,  that  Jatila,  went  to 
the  country. 

Now  while  that  boy  was  absorbed  in  play,  the  fire  went  out. 
Thereupon  to  that  boy  occurred  the  following  thought:  "My 
father  said  this  to  me:  'My  son,  please  tend  the  fire,  and  do  not 
let  it  go  out  on  you.  Only,  if  the  fire  should  go  out  on  you, — here 
is  a  hatchet,  here  are  sticks  of  wood,  here  is  a  fire-drill, — please 
kindle  the  fire  and  tend  it.'  Suppose  I  were  to  kindle  the  fire  and 
tend  it !" 

Accordingly  that  boy  began  to  chop  up  the  fire-drill  with  his 
hatchet:  "Perhaps  I  may  produce  fire!"  But  no!  He  did  not 
produce  fire !  He  split  the  fire-drill  into  two  pieces  .  .  .  into  three 
pieces  ,  .  .  into  four  pieces  .  .  .  into  five  pieces  .  .  .  into  ten 
pieces  .  .  .  into  a  hundred  pieces.  He  reduced  it  to  so  many  bits ; 
having  reduced  it  to  so  many  bits,  he  pounded  them  in  a  mortar; 
having  pounded  them  in  a  mortar,  he  winnowed  them  in  a  strong 
wind :  "Perhaps  I  may  produce  fire !"  But  no !  He  did  not  produce 
fire! 

Now  that  fire-worshipper,  that  Jatila,  having  transacted  that 
business  in  the  country,  approached  his  own  hermitage.  Having 
approached,  he  said  this  to  that  boy:  "j\Iv  son,  did  the  fire  p-o  out 
on  you.?"  "Father,  while  I  was  absorbed  in  play  here,  the  fire  went 
out  on  me."  So  saying,  the  boy  told  his  foster-father  what  he  had 
done. 

Then  to  that  fire-worshipper,  that  Jatila,  occurred  the  follow- 
ing thought:  "How  foolish  this  boy  is!  how  short-sighted!  How 
could  he  hope  to  produce  fire  by  seeking  otherwise  than   in   the 


Par.  45.]  Two  Caravan-leaders  121 

right  way.f"'  With  the  boy  watching  him,  he  picked  up  a  fire-drill, 
produced  fire,  and  said  this  to  that  boy :  "This,  my  son,  is  the 
way  to  produce  fire ;  not,  as  you,  a  foolish,  short-sighted  boy, 
tried  to  produce  it,  by  seeking  otherwise  than  in  the  right  way." 

"Precisely  thus,  Warrior,  are  you,  a  foolish,  short-sighted  man, 
seeking  the  next  world  otherwise  than  in  the  right  way.  Renounce, 
Warrior,  this  wicked  heresy !  Renounce,  Warrior,  this  wicked  heresy ! 
Let  it  not  be  to  your  disadvantage  and  sorrow  for  a  long  time  to  come." 

Wilful  persistence  in  error. 

"No  matter  how  emphatically  my  lord  Kassapa  says  this,  yet,  for  all 
that,  I  cannot  bring  myself  to  renounce  this  wicked  heresy.  Even 
King  Pasenadi  Kosala  knows,  even  kings  outside  know  regarding  me: 
'Payasi  the  Warrior  holds  this  doctrine,  holds  this  view:  "There  is  no 
life  after  death;  there  are  no  living  beings  reborn  without  the  inter- 
vention of  parents ;  there  is  no  fruition,  no  ripening,  of  good  and  evil 
deeds."  '  If,  my  lord  Kassapa,  I  were  to  renounce  this  wicked  view, 
there  would  be  those  who  would  say  of  me:  'How  foolish  is  PayJisi 
the  Warrior !  how  short-sighted !  how  ready  to  accept  what  is  hard  to 
accept !'  Even  with  anger  will  I  hold  to  this  view,  even  with  hypocrisy 
Avill  I  hold  to  this  view,  even  with  conceit  will  I  hold  to  this  view." 

"Well  tlien.  Warrior,  I  will  compose  a  parable  for  you.  Even  by  a 
parable  does  many  a  man  of  intelligence  in  this  world  comprehend  the 
meaning  of  a  statement." 


45.  TWO  CARAVAN-LEADERS 

In  olden  times,  Warrior,  a  great  caravan  of  a  thousand  carts 
went  from  the  eastern  country  to  the  western  countr3^  Wherever 
it  went,  very  quickly  were  consumed  grass,  sticks,  water,  and  pot- 
herbs. Now  over  that  caravan  were  two  caravan-leaders,  one  over 
five  hundred  carts,  one  over  five  hundred  carts.  And  to  these 
caravan-leaders  occurred  the  following  thought :  "This  is  a  great 
caravan  of  a  thousand  carts.  Wherever  we  go,  very  quickly  are 
consumed  grass,  sticks,  water,  and  pot-herbs.  Suppose  we  were  to 
divide  this  caravan  into  two  caravans  of  five  hundred  carts  each !" 
They  divided  that  caravan  into  two  caravans,  one  of  five  hundred 
carts,  one  of  five  hundred  carts.  One  caravan-leader  only  loaded 
his  carts  with  abundant  grass  and  sticks  and  water,  and  started 
his  caravan  forward. 

Now  when  he  had  proceeded  a  journey  of  two  or  three  days, 


122  Does  Death  End  All?  [Chap.  VIII. 

that  caravan-leader  saw  coming  in  the  opposite  direction  in  a 
chariot  drawn  by  asses,  a  black  man  with  bloodshot  eyes,  with 
ungirt  quiver,  wearing  a  garland  of  lilies,  his  garments  wet,  the 
hair  of  his  head  wet,  the  wheels  of  his  chariot  smeared  with  mud. 
Seeing,  he  said  this:  "Whence,  sir,  do  you  come.?"  "From  such- 
and-such  a  country."  "Whither  do  you  intend  to  go.?"  "To  such- 
and-such  a  country."  "Evidently,  sir,  farther  on  in  the  wilderness 
a  heavy  rain  has  been  in  progress."  "Yes,  indeed,  sir.  Farther  on 
in  the  wilderness  a  heavy  rain  has  been  in  progress.  The  roads  are 
drenched  with  water;  abundant  are  grass  and  sticks  and  water. 
Throw  away,  sir,  the  old  grass,  sticks,  and  water;  with  lightly 
burdened  carts  go  ever  so  quickly;  do  not  overburden  the  con- 
veyances." 

Now  that  caravan-leader  told  his  drivers  what  that  man  had 
said,  and  gave  orders  as  follows:  "Throw  away  the  old  grass, 
sticks,  and  water;  with  lightly  burdened  carts  start  the  caravan 
forward."  "Yes,  sir,"  said  those  drivers  to  that  caravan-leader. 
And  in  obedience  to  his  command  they  threw  away  the  old  grass, 
sticks,  and  water,  and  with  lightly  burdened  carts  started  the 
caravan  forward.  Neither  in  the  first  stage  of  the  journey,  nor  in 
the  second,  nor  in  the  third,  nor  in  the  fourth,  nor  in  the  fifth, 
nor  in  the  sixth,  nor  in  the  seventh,  did  they  see  grass  or  sticks  or 
water;  they  all  met  destruction  and  death.  And  all  that  were  in 
that  caravan,  whether  men  or  beasts,  did  that  ogre,  that  demon, 
devour,  leaving  only  the  bare  bones. 

When  the  second  caravan-leader  knew,  "It  is  now  a  long  time 
since  that  caravan  started  out,"  he  loaded  his  carts  with  abundant 
grass  and  sticks  and  water,  and  started  his  caravan  forward. 
Now  when  he  had  proceeded  a  journey  of  two  or  three  days,  this 
caravan-leader  saw  coming  in  the  opposite  direction  in  a  chariot 
drawn  by  asses,  a  black  man  with  bloodshot  eyes,  with  ungirt 
quiver,  wearing  a  garland  of  lilies,  his  garments  wet,  the  hair  of 
his  head  wet,  the  wheels  of  his  chariot  smeared  with  mud.  Seeing, 
he  said  this:  "Whence,  sir,  do  you  come.?"  "From  such-and-such  a 
country."  "Whither  do  you  intend  to  go.?"  "To  such-and-such  a 
country."  "Evidently,  sir,  farther  on  in  the  wilderness  a  heavy 
rain  has  been  in  progress."  "Yes,  indeed,  sir.  Farther  on  in  the 
wilderness  a  heavy  rain  has  been  in  progress.  The  roads  are 
drenched  with  water;  abundant  are  grass  and  sticks  and  water. 


Par.  45.]  Two  Caravan-leaders  123 

Throw  away,  sir,  the  old  grass,  sticks,  and  water;  with  lightly 
bui'dened  carts  go  ever  so  quickly;  do  not  overburden  the  con- 
veyances." 

Now  that  caravan-leader  told  his  drivers  what  that  man  had 
said,  adding:  "This  man  surely  is  no  friend  of  ours,  no  kinsman 
or  blood-relative.  How  can  we  trust  him  on  our  jouraey?  On  no 
account  must  the  old  grass,  sticks,  and  water,  be  thrown  away. 
Start  the  caravan  forward,  leaving  the  things  just  as  they  are. 
I  will  not  permit  you  to  throw  away  the  old."  "Yes,  sir,"  said 
those  drivers  to  that  caravan-leader.  And  in  obedience  to  his  com- 
mand they  started  the  caravan  forward,  leaving  the  things  just 
as  they  were.  Neither  in  the  first  stage  of  the  journey,  nor  in  the 
second,  nor  in  the  third,  nor  in  the  fourth,  nor  in  the  fifth,  nor  in 
the  sixth,  nor  in  the  seventh,  did  they  see  grass  or  sticks  or  water; 
but  they  saw  that  caravan  in  destruction  and  ruin.  And  of  those 
that  were  in  that  caravan,  whether  men  or  beasts,  they  saw  only 
the  bare  bones,  for  they  had  been  eaten  by  that  ogre,  by  that 
demon. 

Thereupon  that  caravan-leader  addressed  his  drivers :  "This 
caravan  here  met  destruction  and  ruin  solely  through  the  folly  of 
that  foolish  caravan-leader  who  acted  as  its  guide.  Now  then,  throw 
away  those  wares  in  our  own  caravan  which  are  of  little  worth, 
and  take  those  wares  in  this  other  caravan  which  are  of  great 
worth."  "Yes,  sir,"  said  those  drivers  to  that  caravan-leader.  And 
in  obedience  to  his  command  they  threw  away  all  those  wares  in 
their  own  caravan  which  were  of  little  worth,  and  took  those  wares 
in  that  other  caravan  which  were  of  great  worth.  And  they  passed 
in  safety  through  that  wilderness  solely  through  the  wisdom  of 
that  wise  caravan-leader  who  acted  as  their  guide. 

"Precisely  so,  Warrior,  you,  a  foolish,  short-sighted  man,  will  meet 
destruction  and  ruin  by  seeking  the  next  world  otherwise  than  in  the 
right  way,  just  as  did  that  man  in  the  parable,  that  caravan-leader. 
And  those  who  fondly  imagine  that  they  must  listen  to  you,  that  they 
must  put  their  trust  in  you,  they  also  will  meet  destruction  and  ruin, 
just  as  did  those  drivers.  Renounce,  Warrior,  this  wicked  heresy! 
Renounce,  Warrior,  this  wicked  heresy !  Let  it  not  be  to  your  dis- 
advantage and  sorrow  for  a  long  time  to  come." 

But  Payasi  the  Warrior  remained  obstinate.  "I  cannot  bring  myself," 
said  he,  "to  renounce  this  wicked  heresy."  "Well  then.  Warrior,  I  will 
compose  a  parable  for  you." 


124  Does  Death  End  All?  [Chap.  VIII. 

46.  DUNG  FOR  FODDER 

In  olden  times,  Warrior,  a  certain  swineherd  went  from  his  own 
village  to  another  village.  There  he  saw  much  dry  dung  thrown 
away.  When  he  saw  it,  the  following  thought  occurred  to  him: 
"Here  I  have  much  dry  dung  tiirown  away  which  would  make 
fodder  for  my  pigs.  Suppose  I  were  to  take  the  dry  dung  away 
from  here !"  He  spread  out  his  upper  robe,  took  much  dry  dung, 
wrapped  it  up  in  a  bundle,  put  the  bundle  on  his  head,  and  went 
his  way. 

When  he  was  half-way  home,  a  great  cloud  rained  out  of  season. 
He  went  on  with  the  load  of  dung  oozing  and  trickling,  smeared 
with  dung  to  his  finger-tips.  People  saw  him  going  along  in  this 
manner  and  spoke  as  follows:  "Aren't  you  crazy,  sir.?  aren't  you 
out  of  your  mind.''  Otherwise  how  can  you  be  carrying  a  load  of 
dung,  oozing  and  trickling,  smeared  with  dung  to  your  finger- 
tips.'"' "You,  sirs,  are  crazy;  you,  sirs,  are  out  of  your  mind. 
Why,  what  I  am  carrying  is  fodder  for  my  pigs !" 

"Warrior,  you  are  just  like  the  man  in  the  parable  who  carried 
dung.  Renounce,  Warrior,  this  wicked  heresy !"  "That  will  I  not." 
"Well  then,  Warrior,  I  will  compose  a  parable  for  you." 

47.  TWO  DICERS 

In  olden  times,  Warrior,  two  dicers  played  at  dice.  The  first  dicer 
swallowed  every  ace.  The  second  dicer  saw  that  dicer  swallow  every 
ace.  Seeing,  he  said  this  to  that  dicer:  "You,  sir,  have  it  all  your 
own  way.  Give  me  the  dice,  sir;  I  must  hurry  away."  "Yes,  sir," 
said  that  dicer,  and  handed  over  the  dice  to  that  dicer. 

Now  that  dicer  painted  the  dice  with  poison,  and  said  this  to 
that  dicer:  "Come,  sir,  let  us  play  at  dice."  "Yes,  sir,"  said  that 
dicer  in  assent  to  that  dicer. 

A  second  time  also  those  dicers  played  at  dice ;  a  second  time 
also  that  dicer  swallowed  every  ace.  The  second  dicer  saw  that 
dicer  swallow  for  the  second  time  also  every  ace.  Seeing,  he  said 
this  to  that  dicer : 

Smeared  with  the  strongest  poison 

Was  the  die  the  man  swallowed,  but  knew  it  not. 

Swallow,  O  swallow,  wicked  dicer ! 

Later  it  will  taste  bitter  to  you. 


Par.  48.]  Giving  Better  for  Worse  125 

"Warrior,   you   are   just  like   the   dicer   in   the   parable.    Renounce, 
•Warrior,  this  wicked  heresy!  Renounce,  Warrior,  this  wicked  heresy! 
Let  it  not  be  to  your  disadvantage  and  sorrow   for   a  long  time  to 
come." 

Wilful  persistence  in  error. 

"No  matter  how  emphatically  my  lord  Kassapa  says  this,  yet,  for 
all  that,  I  cannot  bring  myself  to  renounce  this  wicked  heresy.  Even 
King  Pasenadi  Kosala  knows,  even  kings  outside  know  regarding  me: 
'Payasi  the  Warrior  holds  this  doctrine,  holds  this  view:  "There  is  no 
life  after  death;  there  are  no  living  beings  reborn  without  the  inter- 
vention of  parents ;  there  is  no  fruition,  no  ripening,  of  good  and  evil 
deeds."  '  If,  my  lord  Kassapa,  I  were  to  renounce  this  wicked  view, 
there  would  be  those  who  would  say  of  me:  'How  foolish  is  Payasi  the 
Warrior!  how  short-sighted!  how  ready  to  accept  what  is  hard  to 
accept !'  Even  with  anger  will  I  hold  to  this  view,  even  with  hypocrisy 
will  I  hold  to  this  view,  even  witli  conceit  will  I  hold  to  this  view." 

"Well  then.  Warrior,  I  will  compose  a  parable  for  you." 


48.  GIVING  UP  BETTER  FOR  WORSE 

In  olden  times,  Warrior,  a  certain  district  rose  in  revolt.  And 
friend  said  to  friend:  "Let's  go,  sir;  let's  go  to  that  district; 
there,  perhaps,  we  may  come  by  some  spoils."  "Yes,  sir,"  said 
friend  to  friend  in  assent.  They  went  to  that  country,  to  some 
village  or  other  where  there  was  an  uproar.  There  they  saw  much 
hemp  thrown  away.  Seeing,  friend  addressed  friend:  "Here,  sir, 
is  nmch  hemp  thrown  away.  Now  then,  sir,  you  pack  up  a  load  of 
hemp,  and  I'll  pack  up  a  load  of  hemp ;  we'll  both  carry  off  a  load 
of  hemp."  "Yes,  sir,"  said  friend  to  friend  in  assent,  and  packed 
up  a  load  of  hemp. 

They  both  went  with  their  loads  of  hemp  to  some  village  or 
other  where  there  was  an  uproar.  There  they  saw  much  hempen 
thread  thrown  away.  Seeing,  friend  addressed  friend:  "The  very 
thing,  sir,  for  which  we  should  have  wanted  hemp !  Here  is  much 
hempen  thread  thrown  away !  Now  then,  sir,  you  throw  away  your 
load  of  hemp,  and  I'll  throw  away  my  load  of  hemp;  Ave'll  both 
carry  off  a  load  of  hempen  thread."  "This  load  of  hemp  I  have 
has  been  carried  a  long  way  and  is  well  tied  together.  Let  me 
alone !  Decide  for  yourself !"  And  that  friend  threw  away  his  load 
of  hemp  and  took  a  load  of  hempen  thread. 

They  went  to  some  village  or  other  where  there  was  an  uproar. 


126  Does  Death  End  All?  [Chap.  VIII. 

There  they  saw  many  hempen  cloths  thrown  away.  Seeing,  friend 
addressed  friend:  "The  ver}^  thing,  sir,  for  which  we  should  have 
wanted  hemp  or  hempen  thread !  Here  are  many  hempen  cloths 
thrown  away !  Now  then,  sir,  you  throw  away  your  load  of  hemp, 
and  I'll  throw  away  my  load  of  hempen  thread ;  we'll  both  carry 
off  a  load  of  hempen  cloths."  "This  load  of  hemp  I  have,  has  been 
carried  a  long  way  and  is  well  tied  together.  Let  me  alone !  Decide 
for  yourself!"  And  that  friend  threw  away  his  load  of  hempen 
thread  and  took  a  load  of  hempen  cloths. 

They  went  to  some  village  or  other  where  there  was  an  uproar. 
There  they  saw  an  abundance  of  flax  .  .  .  linen  thread  .  .  . 
linen  cloths ;  .  .  .  cotton  .  .  .  cotton  thread  .  .  .  cotton  cloths ; 
.  .  .  iron ;  .  .  .  copper ;  .  .  .  tin ;  .  .  .  lead ;  .  .  .  silver ;  .  .  . 
gold  thrown  away.  Seeing,  friend  addressed  friend :  "The  very 
thing,  sir,  for  which  we  should  have  wanted  hemp  or  hempen  thread 
or  hempen  cloths,  or  flax  or  linen  thread  or  linen  cloths,  or  cotton 
or  cotton  thread  or  cotton  cloths,  or  iron  or  copper  or  tin  or 
lead  or  silver !  Here,  sir,  is  gold  in  abundance  thrown  away !  Now 
then,  sir,  you  throw  away  your  load  of  hemp  and  I'll  throw  away 
my  load  of  silver ;  we'll  both  carry  off  a  load  of  gold."  "This  load 
of  hemp  I  have,  has  been  carried  a  long  way  and  is  well  tied 
together.  Let  me  alone!  Decide  for  yourself!"  And  that  friend 
threw  away  his  load  of  silver  and  took  a  load  of  gold. 

They  approached  their  own  village.  That  friend  who  went  there 
with  a  load  of  hemp,  was  welcomed  neither  by  mother  and  father, 
nor  by  children  and  wife,  nor  by  friends  and  companions.  Nor 
from  them  did  he  obtain  happiness  and  satisfaction.  But  that 
friend  who  went  there  with  a  load  of  gold,  was  welcomed  by 
mother  and  father,  and  by  children  and  wife,  and  by  friends  and 
companions.  And  from  them  he  obtained  happiness  and  satis- 
faction. 

"Warrior,  you  are  just  like  the  man  in  the  parable  who  carried  a 
load  of  hemp.  Renounce,  Warrior,  this  wicked  heresy !  Renounce, 
Warrior,  this  wicked  heresy !  Let  it  not  be  to  your  disadvantage  and 
sorrow  for  a  long  time  to  come." 

Conversion  of  the  unbeliever. 

"Even  with  your  former  parables,  my  lord  Kassapa,  have  I  been 
pleased  and  delighted.  Moreover,  I  like  to  hear  your  picturesque  and 


Par.  48.]  Giving  Better  for  Worse  127 

quick-witted  answers.  Only  I  should  have  realized  sooner  the  impor- 
tance of  identifying  myself  with  you.  It  is  delightful,  my  lord 
Kassapa!  It  is  delightful,  my  lord  Kassapa !  It  is  precisely,  my  lord 
Kassapa,  as  if  one  were  to  set  upright  what  has  been  thrown  down, 
or  were  to  reveal  what  is  hidden,  or  were  to  point  out  the  way  to  a 
bewildered  person,  or  were  to  carry  a  lamp  into  the  darkness  so 
that  persons  with  eyes  might  see  things; — precisely  so  has  my  lord 
Kassapa  illustrated  the  Doctrine  in  manifold  ways.  Lo !  my  lord 
Kassapa,  I  seek  refuge  in  that  Exalted  One,  Gotama,  and  in  the  Doc- 
trine, and  in  the  Congregation  of  Monks.  Let  my  lord  Kassapa  keep 
me,  who  have  sought  the  Refuges,  as  his  disciple  from  this  day  forth, 
so  long  as  I  shall  live." 


CHAPTER  IX 

PARABLES  FROM  BUDDHAGHOSA'S  LEGENDS  OF  THE 

SAINTS 

49.  GHOSAKA 

He  that  diggeth  a  pit  shall  fall  into  it. 
Anguttara  Commentary  249-255. 

A.  Story  of  the  Post:  A  father  casts  away  his  son. 

Before  the  rebirth  of  our  Teacher,  the  plague  broke  out  in  the 
kingdom  of  the  Vajjians.  In  one  house  after  another,  at  a  single 
stroke,  ten  or  twenty  persons  died,  but  those  who  went  out  of 
the  kingdom  saved  their  lives.  Knowing  this,  a  certain  man  took 
his  own  son  and  wife  and  departed  from  that  kingdom  with  the 
intention  of  going  to  another  kingdom.  Now  while  they  were  on 
their  way,  and  before  they  had  got  clear  of  the  wilderness,  the 
provisions  for  the  journey  Avhich  the  man  had  obtained  in  his 
house  became  exhausted,  and  the  strength  of  their  bodies  gave  out. 
First  the  mother  would  carry  the  child,  and  then  the  father. 

Now  the  father  of  the  child  thought :  "The  strength  of  our 
bodies  is  exhausted.  If  we  carry  the  child  with  us  as  we  go,  we 
shall  not  be  able  to  complete  our  journey."  Accordingly,  taking 
care  that  the  child's  mother  should  not  know  what  he  was  doing, 
pretending  that  he  had  fallen  behind  for  the  purpose  of  making 
water,  he  set  the  child  down  on  the  road  and  resumed  his  journey 
quite  alone. 

Now  his  wife,  who  stood  watching  for  him  to  approach,  not 
seeing  the  child  in  his  arms,  ran  towards  him  screaming.  "Hus- 
band, where  is  my  child.'"'  said  she.  "What  need  have  you  of  a 
child.'*  If  we  live,  we  shall  have  a  child."  Said  she:  "This  man  is 
indeed  an  utter  brute !"  And  she  said  to  him :  "Begone !  I  will  not 
go  with  such  as  you!"  After  thinking  the  matter  over,  he  said: 


Par.  49.]  Ghosaka  129 

"Wife,  pardon  me  for  what  I  have  done."  And  taking  the  child, 
he  continued  the  journey. 

In  the  evening,  when  they  had  got  clear  of  the  wilderness,  they 
reached  a  certain  cowherd's  house.  Now  that  day  the  members  of 
the  cowherd's  household  had  cooked  rich  rice-porridge.  On  seeing 
the  travelers,  they  reflected :  "These  travelers  are  excessively 
hungry."  So  filling  a  great  bowl  with  rice-porridge,  and  sprink- 
ling the  porridge  with  a  ladleful  of  ghee,  they  gave  it  to  them. 
Husband  and  wife  ate  that  porridge,  and  the  woman  ate  only  a 
reasonable  amount.  But  the  man  ate  far  more  than  was  good  for 
him,  was  unable  to  digest  what  he  had  eaten,  and  died  at  midnight. 

When  the  man  died,  he  received,  because  of  his  attachment  for 
the  cowherds,  a  new  conception  in  the  womb  of  a  bitch  that  lived 
in  the  cowherds'  house.  In  no  very  long  time  the  bitch  gave  birth 
to  a  pup.  The  cowherd,  observing  that  that  pup  was  a  very  hand- 
some dog,  coaxed  him  with  morsels  of  food,  got  the  dog  very  fond 
of  him,  and  took  him  with  him  wherever  he  went. 

Now  one  day,  at  the  usual  time  for  making  the  rounds  for  alms, 
a  certain  Private  Buddha  arrived  at  the  door  of  the  cowherd's 
house.  The  cowherd,  seeing  him,  gave  him  alms  and  obtained  his 
promise  to  enter  upon  residence  as  his  own  guest.  The  Private 
Buddha  entered  upon  residence  at  a  spot  not  far  from  the  cow- 
herd's house,  in  a  certain  forest-grove.  Whenever  the  cowherd 
went  to  pay  his  respects  to  the  Private  Buddha,  he  always  took 
that  dog  along.  Now  on  the  way,  in  the  lairs  of  wild  beasts,  he 
would  rap  on  a  tree  or  a  rock  to  drive  the  wild  beasts  away,  and 
that  dog  came  to  understand  what  he  did  and  why  he  did  it. 

Now  one  day  that  cowherd,  while  sitting  in  the  company  of  that 
Private  Buddha,  said :  "Reverend  Sir,  we  cannot  come  here  every 
time.  But  here  is  a  dog  that  is  highly  intelligent.  When  he  comes 
here,  you  will  understand  that  you  are  expected  to  come  to  our 
house-door." 

One  day  the  cowherd  sent  the  dog,  saying:  "Get  the  Private 
Buddha  and  come  back  with  him."  The  dog,  hearing  his  words, 
went  at  the  usual  time  for  making  the  rounds  for  alms,  and  lay 
dovnci  on  his  belly  at  the  Private  Buddha's  feet.  The  Private 
Buddha,  perceiving,  "The  dog  has  come  to  me,"  took  bowl  and 
robe  and  started  out  on  the  path. 

The  Private  Buddha,  for  the  purpose  of  testing  the  dog,  left 


130  Seven  Marvelous  Escapes  [Chap.  IX. 

the  path  on  which  he  was  walking  and  took  a  different  path.  The 
dog  went  and  stood  in  front  of  him,  but  withdrew  when  the  Private 
Buddha  entered  upon  the  path  to  the  cowherd's  house.  Here  and 
there,  where,  for  the  purpose  of  driving  the  wild  beasts  away,  the 
cowherd  was  in  the  habit  of  rapping  on  a  tree  or  a  rock,  on  reach- 
ing any  such  spot,  the  dog  barked  very  loud.  At  sound  of  him, 
the  wild  beasts  fled  away.  Moreover,  when  it  was  time  to  make 
the  rounds  for  alms,  the  Private  Buddha  gave  the  dog  a  big, 
greasy  morsel.  As  a  result  of  getting  this  morsel,  the  dog  con- 
ceived deep  affection  for  the  Private  Buddha. 

When  the  Private  Buddha  had  kept  residence  for  the  three 
months,  the  cowherd  gave  him  a  cloth  sufficient  for  a  set  of  robes, 
and  said:  "Reverend  Sir,  if  it  so  please  you,  remain  right  here; 
if  not,  go  according  to  your  good  pleasure."  The  Private  Buddha 
intimated  by  his  manner  that  it  was  his  intention  to  depart.  That 
cowherd  accompanied  the  Private  Buddha  a  little  way,  and  then 
turned  back.  So  great  was  the  affection  of  the  dog  for  the  Private 
Buddha,  that  when  he  perceived  that  the  Private  Buddha  was 
going  away,  he  was  overwhelmed  with  profound  sorrow,  his  heart 
broke,  and  he  died  and  was  reborn  in  the  World  of  the  Thirty- 
three  Gods. 

Now  because,  in  the  days  when  he  used  to  accompany  the  Pri- 
vate Buddha,  he  used  to  drive  the  wild  beasts  away  by  making  a 
loud  noise,  therefore,  in  the  World  of  the  Thirty-three  Gods,  when 
he  talked  with  the  deities,  the  sound  of  his  voice  echoed  and 
reechoed  throughout  the  entire  City  of  the  Gods.  Through  this 
very  circumstance  he  came  to  be  called  Deity  Ghosaka  (He-of-the- 
voice). 

Now  while  Ghosaka  was  enjoying  this  glory  in  the  World  of  the 
Thirty-three  Gods,  in  the  Path  of  Men,  in  the  city  of  Kosambi,  a 
king  by  the  name  of  Udena  entered  upon  his  kingdom.  The  story 
of  Udena  is  to  be  understood  precisely  as  it  is  written  in  the 
Commentary  on  the  Bodhi-rajakumara  Sutta  in  the  Middle  Fifty 
of  the  Majjhima  Nikaya. 

B.  Story  of  the  Present:  Ghosaka  is  cast  away  seven  times. 

Now  while  Udena  was  ruling  in  Kosambi,  the  deity  Ghosaka  fell 
from  the  City  of  the  Gods  and  receive  a  new  conception  in  Ko- 
sambi, in  the  womb  of  a  certain  courtezan. 


Par.  49.]  GJiosaJca  131 

1.  Ghosaka  is  cast  away  on  a  refzise-heap. 

That  courtezan,  on  the  expiration  of  ten  lunar  months,  brought 
forth  a  child,  and  learning  that  it  was  a  boy,  caused  him  to  be 
cast  away  on  a  refuse-heap. 

At  that  moment  a  workman  of  the  Treasurer  of  Kosambi,  on  his 
way,  very  early  in  the  morning,  to  the  Treasurer's  house,  ex- 
claimed: "What  can  that  be,  surrounded  by  crows.?"  Approach- 
ing, and  seeing  that  it  was  a  boy,  he  exclaimed:  "That  boy  must 
be  a  person  of  great  merit !"  Sending  the  boy  to  his  own  home  by 
the  hand  of  a  certain  man,  he  went  to  the  Treasurer's  house. 

As  for  the  Treasurer,  when  it  was  time  for  him  to  wait  upon 
the  king,  he  set  out  for  the  king's  house.  On  the  way  he  saw  the 
house-priest.  "What  is  the  constellation  in  the  moon's  path 
to-day.?"  asked  he.  The  house-priest,  standing  just  where  he  was, 
took  a  reckoning,  and  said :  "Such-and-such  is  the  constellation  in 
the  moon's  path  to-day.  A  boy  born  under  this  constellation  will 
obtain  the  post  of  Treasurer  in  this  city." 

The  Treasurer,  hearing  these  words  of  the  house-priest,  quickly 
sent  messengers  to  his  house.  Thought  he:  "This  house-priest 
never  makes  a  mistake  in  his  predictions,  and  my  wife  is  pregnant." 
And  he  said  to  the  messengers :  "Just  find  out  whether  my  wife 
has  given  birth  to  a  child  or  not."  They  went,  found  out,  and 
said :  "Noble  sir,  she  has  not  yet  given  birth  to  a  child." 

"Well  then,"  said  the  Treasurer,  "go  seek  for  the  boy  that  was 
born  in  this  city  to-day."  They  sought  for  that  boy,  and  seeing 
him  in  the  house  of  that  Treasurer's  workman,  reported  the  fact. 
"Well  then,  summon  that  workman."  They  summoned  him.  And 
the  Treasurer  asked  him :  "In  your  house  they  say  there  is  a  boy." 
"Yes,  Noble  sir."  "Give  that  boy  to  us."  "I  will  not  give  him  to 
you,  Noble  sir."  "Here !  take  a  thousand  pieces  of  money  and  give 
him  to  us."  Said  the  workman:  "This  boy  may  live  or  die!  he's 
base-born !"  And  taking  the  thousand  pieces  of  money,  he  gave 
the  boy  to  the  Treasurer. 

^.  Ghosaka  is  cast  away  in  a  cattle-pen. 

Then  thought  the  Treasurer:  "If  my  wife  gives  birth  to  a 
daughter,  I  will  make  this  very  boy  my  heir;  if  she  gives  birth  to 
a  son,  I  will  cause  this  boy  to  be  killed."  His  wife  gave  birth  to 


132  Seven  Marvelous  Escapes  [Chap.  IX. 

a  son.  Then  thought  the  Treasurer :  "Thus  the  cattle  will  trample 
him  under  foot  and  kill  him."  And  he  said  to  his  men:  "La}'  this 
bo}'  in  the  doorway  of  the  cattle-pen."  They  laid  him  there. 

Now  the  leader  of  the  herd,  the  bull,  coming  out  first  and  seeing 
the  boy,  thought :  "Thus  the  other  cattle  will  not  trample  him 
under  foot."  And  he  inclosed  him  with  his  four  feet  and  stood  still. 
And  the  herdsmen,  seeing  him,  thought:  "That  boy  must  be  a 
person  of  great  merit,  for  even  the  animals  know  his  virtues !  We 
will  take  care  of  him !"  They  carried  him  home. 

3.  Ghosaka  is  cast  away  in  a  hurning-groiind. 

As  for  that  Treasurer,  learning  that  the  boy  was  not  dead, 
hearing  that  he  had  been  carried  off  by  herdsmen,  he  gave  a  thou- 
sand pieces  of  money  a  second  time,  had  the  boy  brought  to  him, 
and  had  him  cast  away  in  a  burning-ground. 

Now  at  that  time  a  goatherd  belonging  to  the  Treasurer's 
household  was  tending  some  she-goats  near  the  burning-ground. 
And  a  certain  milch-goat,  by  reason  of  the  boy's  merit,  left  the 
path  and  went  and  gave  suck  to  the  boy.  And  although  the  goat- 
herd drove  her  out,  she  went  right  back  there  and  gave  him  suck. 
Thought  the  goatherd :  "This  she-goat,  ever  so  early  in  the  morn- 
ing, left  this  spot  and  went  elsewhere.  What  can  this  mean.?"  Going 
thither  and  looking,  he  saw  the  boy.  Thought  he :  "That  boy  must 
be  a  person  of  great  merit,  for  even  the  animals  know  his  virtues ! 
I  will  take  care  of  him !"  And  picking  him  up,  he  carried  him  home. 

Jf..  Ghosaka  is  cast  away  on  a  caravan-trail. 

On  the  following  day  the  Treasurer  thought :  "Is  the  boy  dead, 
or  is  he  not  dead.'"'  Causing  his  men  to  look,  and  learning  that  the 
boy  had  been  carried  off  by  a  goatherd,  he  gave  a  thousand  pieces 
of  money  and  had  the  boy  brought  to  him.  Said  he:  "To-morrow 
a  certain  caravan-leader  will  enter  this  city.  Carry  this  boy  and 
lay  him  in  the  track  of  the  wheels.  Thus,  as  the  carts  pass,  the 
wheels  will  crush  him." 

They  laid  the  boy  there.  As  he  lay  there,  the  oxen  harnessed  to 
the  foremost  cart,  that  of  the  caravan-leader,  saw  him.  When  they 
saw  him,  they  planted  their  legs  about  him  like  pillars  and  stood 
still.  Thought  the  caravan-leader:  "What  can  this  mean.?"  Look- 


Par.  49.]  Ghosaka  133 

ing  to  see  what  made  them  stand  still,  and  seeing  the  boy,  he 
thought :  "The  boy  must  be  a  person  of  great  merit !  I  must  take 
care  of  him !"  And  picking  him  up,  he  carried  him  off. 

5.  Ghosaka  is  thrown  down  a  precipice. 

As  for  the  Treasurer,  he  caused  his  men  to  look  and  see  whether 
or  not  the  boy  had  been  killed  on  the  caravan-trail ;  and  learning 
that  he  had  been  carried  off  by  a  caravan-leader,  he  gave  liim  also 
a  thousand  pieces  of  money,  had  the  boy  brought  to  him,  and 
caused  him  to  be  thrown  down  a  precipice. 

As  the  boy  fell,  he  fell  where  some  reed-makers  were  working, 
on  a  reed-maker's  hut.  Through  the  supernatural  power  of  his 
merit,  it  felt  exactly  like  cotton  beaten  a  hundred  times.  And  the 
leader  of  the  reed-makers  thought:  "That  boy  must  be  a  person 
of  great  merit !  I  must  take  care  of  him !"  And  picking  him  up,  he 
carried  him  home. 

The  Treasurer  caused  a  search  to  be  made  in  the  place  where 
the  boy  had  fallen  from  the  precipice,  to  discover  whether  or  not 
he  was  dead ;  and  learning  that  he  had  been  carried  off  by  the 
leader  of  the  reed-makers,  he  gave  him  also  a  thousand  pieces  of 
money  and  caused  the  boy  to  be  brought  to  him. 

6.  Ghosaka  is  sent  to  the  potter's. 

After  a  time  both  the  Treasurer's  own  son  and  Ghosaka  reached 
manhood.  The  Treasurer,  once  more  bethinking  liimself  of  some 
way  to  effect  the  youth  Ghosaka's  death,  went  to  the  house  of  his 
own  potter  and  said  to  him  secretly :  "Master,  in  my  house  there 
is  such-and-such  a  certain  base-born  youth.  By  some  means  or 
other  he  must  be  gotten  out  of  the  way !"  Thereupon  the  potter 
closed  both  his  ears  and  said :  "Such  terrible  words  as  those  should 
never  be  uttered !"  Thereupon  the  Treasurer  thought :  "This 
fellow  will  not  do  it  gratis."  So  he  said  to  him :  "Here,  Master, 
take  a  thousand  pieces  of  money  and  do  this  job  !" 

There  is  a  proverb :  "A  bribe  breaks  the  unbroken ;"  and  so  it 
was  in  this  case.  The  potter  immediately  took  the  thousand  pieces 
of  money  and  agreed  to  the  bargain,  saying :  "I  intend,  Noble  sir, 
on  such-and-such  a  day,  to  fire  my  bake-house.  On  that  day,  at 
such-and-such   a   time,  send  him !"   The  Treasurer,  on  his   part, 


134  Seven  Marvelous  Escapes  [Chap.  IX. 

hearing  the  words  of  the  potter,  agreed  to  the  bargain.  And  from 
that  moment  on,  he  counted  the  days. 

When  the  day  appointed  b}'  the  potter  arrived,  he  knew  it,  and 
summoning  the  youth  Ghosaka,  he  said  to  him :  "Son,  on  such-and- 
'  such  a  day  we  have  need  of  many  vessels.  You  must  go  to  our 
potter's  and  say  to  liim :  'My  father  tells  me  that  he  gave  you  a 
certain  job  to  do.  Finish  it  up  to-day!'"  "Very  well,"  said 
Ghosaka,  promising  to  do  as  he  was  told.  So  saying,  he  set  out. 

When  Ghosaka  was  part  way  to  the  potter's,  the  Treasurer's 
own  son,  who  was  playing  marbles,  saw  him ;  and  going  quickly  to 
him,  said:  "I,  dear  brother,  playing  with  these  youths,  have  lost 
ever  so  much  money.  Win  it  back  and  give  it  to  me."  Said 
Ghosaka :  "I  have  no  time  now ;  father  has  sent  me  to  the  potter's 
on  a  very  important  errand."  Said  his  foster-brother:  "I,  dear 
brother,  will  go  to  the  potter's ;  you  recover  my  stake  and  give  it 
to  me."  "Very  well,  then,"  said  Ghosaka;  "go  ahead!"  So  he  told 
his  foster-brother  the  message  he  himself  had  been  directed  to 
carry,  and  started  playing  with  the  youths. 

The  Treasurer's  own  son  went  to  the  potter's  and  delivered  that 
message.  "Very  well,  son,"  said  the  potter,  "I'll  finish  up  the  job !" 
He  took  that  youth  into  an  inner  room,  chopped  him  to  pieces  with 
a  sharp  axe,  threw  the  pieces  into  a  chatty,  put  the  lid  on  the 
chatty,  set  the  chatty  among  his  other  vessels,  and  fired  the  bake- 
house. 

The  youth  Ghosaka,  having  won  a  big  stake,  sat  watching  for 
the  return  of  his  younger  brother.  Observing  that  the  latter  was 
tarrying  a  long  time,  he  thought :  "Why,  pray,  does  he  tarry  so 
long.'"'  and  went  to  the  potter's  common.  Seeing  him  nowhere 
about,  lie  concluded :  "He  must  have  gone  home."  So  he  turned 
around  and  went  home. 

The  Treasurer  saw  him  approaching  even  from  afar.  Thought 
he:  "What,  pray,  can  be  the  matter.?  I  sent  that  fellow  to  the 
potter's  to  get  him  out  of  the  way.  But  here  he  is  now,  coming 
back  again  to  the  very  place  he  started  from !"  Even  as  Ghosaka 
approached,  the  Treasurer  said  to  him:  "Son,  didn't  you  go  to 
the  potter's.?"  "No,  father,"  replied  Ghosaka,  "I  didn't  go." 
"How's  that,  son.?"  Then  Ghosaka  told  the  Treasurer  the  reason 
why  he  himself  turned  back,  and  the  reason  why  his  younger 
brother  went  to  the  potter's. 


Par.  49.]  Ghosaka  135 

From  the  moment  the  Treasurer  heard  those  words,  it  was  as 
though  he  had  been  overwhehned  by  the  great  earth.  Thought  he: 
"Can  this  that  you  tell  me  be  true!"  His  heart  palpitating  with 
fear,  because  it  was  impossible  for  him  to  confide  the  facts  to 
others,  he  went  ever  so  quickly  to  the  potter's,  and  said  to  him: 
"Watch  out,  sir !  watch  out,  sir !"  Said  the  potter :  "Why  do  you 
tell  me  to  watch  out?  The  particular  job  you  gave  me  to  do  is 
done!"  The  Treasurer  immediately  turned  back  from  the  potter's 
and  went  home.  And  from  that  time  on  he  suffered  from  mental 
disease. 

7.  Ghosaka  is  sent  to  a  village-treasurer's. 

Even  at  that  time  unwilling  to  eat  with  him,  the  Treasurer 
thought :  "I  must  devote  all  of  my  energies  to  the  task  of  accom- 
plishing, by  some  means  or  other,  the  ruin  of  the  enemy  of  my 
son." 

He  wrote  a  leaf,  summoned  the  youth  Ghosaka,  gave  him  the 
leaf,  and  said  to  him :  "In  such-and-such  a  village  lives  a  workman 
of  ours.  You  are  to  take  this  leaf,  go  to  his  house,  give  him  the 
leaf,  and  say  to  him:  'My  father  says  that  you  are  to  comply 
immediately  with  the  message  on  this  leaf.'  "  And  he  gave  him  the 
following  message  by  word  of  mouth:  "On  the  way  lives  a  certain 
treasurer  who  is  a  friend  of  ours, — a  village-treasurer.  You  are 
to  go  to  his  house,  take  your  meal  there,  and  then  continue  your 
journey." 

The  youth  Ghosaka  bowed  to  the  Treasurer,  took  the  leaf,  and 
started  out.  On  the  way  he  went  to  the  place  of  residence  of  the 
village-treasurer.  Having  inquired  the  way  to  his  house,  he  found 
him  seated  in  a  room  outside  of  the  gate,  shaving  himself.  He 
bowed  to  him  and  stood  waiting.  "Whence  do  you  come,  youth  .f"" 
"I  am  the  son  of  the  Treasurer  of  Kosambi,  sir."  The  village-treas- 
urer was  pleased  and  delighted.  Thought  he :  "He  is  the  son  of  a 
treasurer  who  is  a  friend  of  ours  !" 

Now  at  that  moment  a  slave-woman  belonging  to  the  daughter 
of  that  treasurer  was  on  the  point  of  starting  out  to  fetch  flowers 
for  the  treasurer's  daughter.  But  the  treasurer  said  to  her:  "Let 
this  errand  wait.  Bathe  the  feet  of  the  youth  Ghosaka,  and  spread 
a  bed  and  give  it  to  him."  She  did  so.  Having  so  done,  she  went 
to  the  shop  and  brought  back  flowers  for  the  treasurei-'s  daughter. 


136  Seven  Marvelous  Escapes  [Chap.  IX. 

The  treasurer's  daughter,  seeing  her,  said :  "You've  been  wasting 
a  lot  of  time  out  of  the  house  to-day !"  And  becoming  provoked  at 
her,  she  said:  "What  have  you  been  up  to  all  of  this  time?" 

"Say  not  a  word,  my  lady !  I  never  saw  such  a  handsome  youth 
before  in  my  life !  I  hear  he's  the  son  of  a  treasurer  who's  a  friend 
of  your  father's,  I  can't  begin  to  describe  the  beauty  he  possesses ! 
I  was  on  my  way  to  get  flowers  for  you,  when,  all  of  a  sudden, 
your  father  says  to  me:  'Bathe  the  feet  of  this  youtli  and  spread 
a  bed  and  give  it  to  liim.'  That's  why  I  was  out  of  the  house  so 
long." 

Now  that  treasurer's  daughter,  in  her  fourth  previous  existence, 
had  been  the  wife  of  that  youth.  Therefore  from  the  moment  she 
heard  those  words,  she  knew  not  whether  she  was  standing  or 
sitting.  Taking  that  very  slave-woman  with  her,  she  went  to  the 
place  where  he  lay,  and  gazed  at  him  as  he  slept.  Seeing  a  leaf 
fastened  to  the  hem  of  his  garment,  she  thought :  "What  can  that 
leaf  mean.'"'  Without  aAvakening  the  youth,  she  took  the  leaf  and 
read  it.  Then  she  exclaimed :  "This  youth  is  going  about  carrying 
his  own  death-warrant  on  his  very  person!"  Breaking  that  leaf 
in  pieces,  she  wrote  another  leaf  as  follows : 

"I  am  sending  my  son  to  you.  My  friend  the  village-treasurer 
has  a  daughter  who  has  reached  marriageable  age.  I  command  you 
with  all  speed  to  make  a  levy  throughout  our  jurisdiction,  with 
a  hundred  each  of  all  kinds  of  gifts  to  obtain  the  daughter  of  this 
village-treasurer  for  my  son,  to  make  arrangements  for  the 
wedding-ceremonies,  and  when  the  wedding-ceremonies  are  over, 
to  send  me  word,  saying:  'I  have  done  thus  and  so.'  And  I  shall 
devise  means  of  doing  for  you  what  ought  to  be  done  in  this 
matter." 

Having  written  this  leaf,  she  affixed  that  same  seal  to  it,  and 
before  ever  that  youth  had  awakened,  fastened  it  to  the  hem  of 
his  garment  precisely  as  the  first  leaf  had  been  fastened.  And  that 
youth,  having  spent  that  night  in  that  house,  on  the  following  day 
took  leave  of  the  treasurer,  went  to  the  village  where  the  workman 
lived,  and  gave  him  the  leaf. 

Tlie  workman,  on  reading  the  leaf,  gathered  the  villagers  to- 
gether and  said  to  them :  "As  for  you,  you  have  a  way  of  not 
taking  me  into  your  reckoning.  But  my  master  has  just  sent  word 
to  me,  telling  me  to  obtain,  with  a  hundred  each  of  all  kinds  of 


Par.  49.]  Ghosaka  137 

gifts,  a  maiden  to  be  the  wife  of  his  eldest  son.  See  to  it  that  the 
amount  of  the  levy  is  speedily  collected  and  brought  together  in 
this  place !" 

The  workman,  having  made  all  of  the  preparations  for  the 
wedding-festival,  sent  a  message  to  the  village-treasurer,  obtained 
his  consent,  completed  the  wedding-ceremonies  with  a  hundred 
each  of  all  kinds  of  gifts,  and  sent  the  following  leaf  to  the  Treas- 
urer of  Kosambi :  "I,  on  hearing  the  message  on  the  leaf  which 
you  sent,  did  thus  and  so." 

The  Treasurer,  on  hearing  that  message,  was  as  if  burnt  with 
fire.  "Now,"  thought  he,  "I  am  ruined !"  Worry  brought  on  an 
attack  of  dysentery.  Thought  he :  "By  some  means  or  other  I  will 
summon  him  and  disinherit  him."  From  the  time  when  the  wedding- 
festival  was  completed,  he  kept  thinking:  "Why  does  my  son 
remain  without.''"  And  he  sent  the  following  message:  "Let  him 
come  quickly !" 

The  youth  Ghosaka,  on  hearing  the  message,  started  to  go.  The 
Treasurer's  daughter  thought :  "This  simpleton  does  not  know 
who  it  is  through  whom  he  obtained  this  success.  By  employing 
some  stratagem  or  other,  I  must  find  some  means  of  preventing  him 
from  going."  So  she  said  to  him :  "Youth,  don't  hurry  too  fast ! 
When  one  goes  to  one's  home-village,  one  should  make  proper 
preparations  beforehand." 

As  for  the  Treasurer  of  Kosambi,  when  he  perceived  that  the 
youth  Ghosaka  was  tarrying,  he  sent  a  message  a  second  time: 
"Why  does  my  son  tarry.?  I  am  suffering  from  an  attack  of  dysen- 
tery. My  son  ought  to  come  and  see  me  while  I  yet  remain  alive." 

At  that  time  the  Treasurer's  daughter  informed  him :  "That's 
not  your  father !  you  only  imagine  it's  your  father !  That  man 
sent  a  leaf  to  his  workman,  commanding  him  to  put  you  out  of  the 
way.  By  removing  that  leaf  and  writing  a  different  message,  I 
enabled  you  to  obtain  this  success.  He  summons  you  with  this 
thought  in  mind :  'I  will  disinherit  him.'  Wait  until  he  dies  !" 

Now  when  the  youth  Ghosaka  heard  that  his  foster-father  was 
dead  (although  at  that  very  time  he  was  still  alive),  he  went  to 
the  city  of  Kosambi.  As  for  the  Treasurer's  daughter,  she  gave 
him  the  peremptory  order:  "When  you  enter,  post  your  guards 
throughout  the  house ;  then  enter."  She  herself,  entering  the  house 
in  the  immediate  company  of  the  Treasurer's  son,  lifted  up  both 


138  The  Last  Shall  Be  First  [Chap.  IX. 

her  hands  and  pretended  to  weep.  The  Treasurer  of  Kosambi  lay 
where  it  was  dark.  She  went  up  to  hun  and  smote  him  in  the  heart 
with  her  very  head.  So  weak  was  he  that  as  the  result  of  that  very 
blow  he  died. 

As  for  the  Treasurer's  son,  after  he  had  done  his  duty  by  his 
foster-father's  body,  he  gave  a  bribe  to  the  women-servants, 
saying:  "Say  that  I  am  the  Great  Treasurer's  own  son."  On  the 
seventh  day  following,  the  king  thought:  "I  must  find  some  one 
worthy  of  the  post  of  Treasurer."  And  he  sent  out  his  men,  saying: 
"Find  out  whether  the  Treasurer  had  a  son  or  not."  The  Treas- 
urer's women-servants  told  the  king  that  the  youth  Ghosaka  was 
the  Treasurer's  own  son.  "Very  well,"  said  the  king,  accepting 
their  statement,  and  gave  Ghosaka  the  post  of  Treasurer.  He  be- 
came known  as  Treasurer  Ghosaka. 

Now  his  wife  said  to  him:  "Noble  sir,  not  only  are  you  base- 
born,  but  I  also  was  reborn  in  a  poverty-stricken  house.  But  as 
a  result  of  good  deeds  performed  in  previous  states  of  existence, 
we  have  obtained  all  this  glory.  Now  also  let  us  perform  good 
deeds."  "Very  well,  wife,"  said  Ghosaka,  consenting.  And  Ghosaka 
instituted  almsgiving,  expending  each  day  a  thousand  pieces  of 
money. 

60.  LITTLE  WAYMAN 

The  last  shall  be  first. 
Anguttara  Commentary  130-135. 

A.  Birth  of  Little  Way  man. 

At  Rajagaha,  they  say,  the  daughter  of  the  household  of  a  rich 
merchant  actually  formed  an  intimacy  with  her  own  slave. 
Frightened  at  the  thought:  "Others  also  may  know  what  I  have 
done,"  she  spoke  thus:  "It  is  out  of  the  question  for  us  to  live 
in  this  place.  If  my  mother  and  father  come  to  know  of  this  mis- 
deed, they  will  rend  us  limb  from  limb.  Let  us  go  elsewhere  and 
live." 

Taking  such  necessary  things  as  they  could  carry  in  their  hand, 
they  left  the  house  by  the  principal  door.  "No  matter  where  it 
is,"  said  they  both  with  one  accord,  "let  us  go  to  some  place  un- 
known to  others,"  and  so  they  did.  They  took  up  their  residence 


Par.  50.]  Little  Wayman  139 

in  a  certain  place,  and  after  they  had  lived  together,  she  conceived 
a  child. 

When  her  unborn  child  reached  maturity,  she  took  counsel  with 
her  husband,  saying:  "My  unborn  child  has  reached  maturity. 
If  I  bring  forth  my  child  in  a  place  removed  from  kith  and  kin, 
it  will  bring  naught  but  pain  to  both  of  us  alike.  Let's  go  right 
home !"  "We'll  go  to-day !  we'll  go  to-morrow !"  said  he,  and  let 
the  days  slip  by. 

Thought  she:  "This  simpleton,  because  of  the  greatness  of  his 
own  misdeed,  has  not  the  courage  to  go.  Mother  and  father  are 
one's  best  friends.  Let  this  fellow  go  or  not ;  I  must  go."  When 
he  left  the  house,  she  put  the  household  utensils  away,  and  having 
informed  her  next-door  neighbors  that  she  was  going  home,  she 
started  out  on  the  road. 

Now  when  that  man  returned  to  the  house  and  saw  her  not,  he 
asked  the  neighbors.  Hearing,  "She  has  gone  home,"  he  followed 
after  her  quickly  and  came  up  with  her  on  the  road.  And  right 
there  she  gave  birth  to  her  child.  "What  is  it,  wife.'"'  asked  he. 
"Husband,  a  son  is  born."  "Now  what  shall  we  do.?"  "What  we 
are  going  home  for  has  happened  by  the  way.  If  we  go  there,  what 
shall  we  do.?  Let's  go  back."  With  one  accord  the  two  turned  back. 

To  that  boy,  because  he  was  born  by  the  way,  they  gave  the 
name  Wayman.  In  no  very  long  time  she  conceived  yet  another 
child  in  her  womb.  (All  is  to  be  related  in  detail  precisely  as 
before.)  To  that  boy  also,  because  he  was  born  by  the  way,  they 
gave  the  name  Wayman,  calling  the  first  born  Big  Wayman,  and 
the  other  Little  Wayman.  Taking  the  two  boys  with  them,  they 
went  back  again  to  their  own  place  of  residence. 

While  they  were  living  there,  this  boy  Wayman  heard  other 
boys  speak  of  their  uncles  and  grandfathers  and  grandmothers. 
He  asked  his  mother:  "Mother,  other  boys  speak  of  their  grand- 
fathers and  grandmothers.  Haven't  we  any  relatives.?"  "Yes,  my 
son.  You  have  no  relatives  here.  In  Rajagaha  City  you  have  a 
grandfather  who  is  a  rich  merchant.  There  you  have  many  rela- 
tives." "Why  don't  we  go  there,  mother.?"  She  did  not  tell  her  son 
why  she  would  not  go.  Since  her  sons  asked  repeatedly,  she  said  to 
her  husband:  "These  children  weary  me  excessively.  Will  my 
mother  and  father  eat  us  alive  if  they  see  us.?  Come,  let  us  show 
the  children  their  grandfather's  household."  "I  shall  not  dare  be 


140  The  Last  Shall  Be  First  [Chap.  IX. 

present,  but  I  will  conduct  you."  "Very  well,  good  sir;  by  some 
means  or  other  the  children  must  see  their  grandfather's  house- 
hold." 

Husband  and  wife,  taking  the  children,  in  due  course  reached 
Rcljagaha,  and  found  lodging  for  the  night  in  a  certain  rest-house 
at  the  city-gate.  The  mother  of  the  children  sent  word  to  her 
mother  and  father  that  she  had  arrived  with  the  two  children. 
When  they  heard  that  message,  they  said :  "As  we  have  passed  to 
and  fro  in  the  round  of  existences,  we  have  not  hitherto  had  a  son 
or  a  daughter.  They  have  done  us  a  great  wrong;  it  is  out  of  the 
question  for  them  to  stand  in  our  sight.  But  let  the  two  take 
such-and-such  a  sum  of  money  and  go  and  live  in  a  pleasant  place. 
The  children,  however,  they  may  send  here."  The  merchant's 
daughter  took  the  money  sent  her  by  her  mother  and  father, 
placed  the  children  in  the  hands  of  the  very  messengers  that  came, 
and  sent  them.  The  children  grew  up  in  the  household  of  their 
grandfather. 

Of  the  two  boys.  Little  Wayman  was  very  young,  but  Big 
Wayman  used  to  go  with  his  grandfather  to  hear  the  Possessor 
of  the  Ten  Forces  preach  the  Doctrine.  As  a  result  of  listening 
regularly  to  religious  discourse  from  the  lips  of  the  Teacher,  his 
thoughts  inclined  to  the  adoption  of  the  Religious  Life.  Said  he 
to  his  grandfather :  "If  you  agree,  I  should  like  to  become  a 
monk."  "What  say  you,  my  son?  Were  you  alone  to  adopt  the 
Religious  Life,  it  would  please  me  more  than  it  would  were  even 
the  whole  world  so  to  do.  If,  my  son,  you  are  able  so  to  do,  by  all 
means  become  a  monk."  So  saying,  he  gave  his  consent,  and  went 
to  the  Teacher. 

B.  Little  Wayman  as  a  monk. 

Said  the  Teacher:  "Great  merchant,  >'OU  have  a  boy.''"  "Yes, 
Reverend  Sir,  this  boy  is  a  grandson  of  mine ;  I  give  my  consent 
for  him  to  become  a  monk  under  you."  The  Teacher  bade  a  certain 
monk  on  his  round  for  alms :  "IMakc  a  monk  of  this  boy."  The 
Elder  assigned  to  him  as  a  Subject  of  Meditation  the  first  five  of 
the  Constituent  Parts  of  the  Body,  and  made  a  monk  of  him.  He 
learned  much  of  the  Word  of  the  Buddha,  and  after  completing 
residence  during  the  season  of  the  rains,  made  his  full  profession. 


Par.  50.]  Little  Wayman  141 

After  making  his  full  profession,  by  the  Practice  of  Meditation 
he  obtained  the  Four  Trances  leading  to  the  Realm  of  Formless- 
ness, and  arising  therefrom,  attained  Sainthood.  Thus  did  he 
become  foremost  of  those  who  are  skilled  in  the  development  of 
perception. 

As  he  diverted  himself  with  the  Bliss  of  the  Trances,  with  the 
Bliss  of  the  Path,  with  the  Bliss  of  the  Fruit,  and  with  the  Bliss 
of  Nibbana,  he  thought :  "Assuredly  it  is  possible  to  bestow  this 
Bliss  on  Little  Wayman."  Accordingly,  going  to  his  grandfather 
the  merchant,  he  said :  "Great  merchant,  if  you  agree,  I  should 
like  to  make  a  monk  of  Little  Wayman."  "Make  a  monk  of  him, 
Reverend  Sir."  The  Elder  made  a  monk  of  the  boy  Little  Way- 
man,  and  established  him  in  the  Ten  Precepts,  The  novice  Little 
Wayman  received  from  his  brother  the  following  stanza: 

Even  as  the  lotus,  the  red  lotus,  of  fragrant  perfume, 
Appears  at  early  morn  full-blown,  with  fragrance  unimpaired, 
Behold  the  Buddha,  resplendent  as  the  blazing  sun  in  the  sky. 

Every  verse  he  learned  put  the  preceding  verse  out  of  his  mind; 
while  he  was  striving  merely  to  learn  this  one  stanza,  four  months 
passed.  Now  Big  Wayman  said  to  him :  "Wayman,  you  are  in- 
capable of  mastering  this  Religion.  In  four  months  you  are  unable 
to  learn  even  one  stanza.  How  then  do  you  expect  to  bring  your 
religious  duties  to  a  head.'^  Depart  hence." 

Little  Wayman,  bowed  out  by  the  Elder,  stood  weeping  on  the 
outskirts  of  the  monastery.  At  that  time  the  Teacher  was  in 
residence  at  Jivaka's  Mango  Grove  near  Rajagaha.  Jivaka  sent 
a  man,  saying:  "Invite  the  Teacher  with  five  hundred  monks." 
Now  at  that  time  Big  Wayman  was  steward  of  the  Order.  When 
Jivaka's  man  said,  "Reverend  Sir,  accept  food  in  alms  for  five 
hundred  monks,"  Big  Wayman  replied,  "I  accept  for  all  except 
Simpleton  Wayman."  When  Little  Wayman  heard  this  speech,  he 
felt  worse  yet. 

The  Teacher,  seeing  Little  Wayman's  distress,  thought :  "Little 
Wayman  will  awaken  if  I  go  to  him."  He  went,  allowed  himself  to 
be  seen  no  great  distance  off,  and  said :  "Little  Wayman,  you  are 
weeping. P"  "Reverend  Sir,  my  brother  bowed  me  out."  "Wayman, 
your  brother  has  no  knowledge  of  the  disposition  and  inclination 
of  other  individuals.  You  are  an  individual  susceptible  of  treat- 


142  The  Last  Shall  Be  First  [Chap.  IX. 

ment  bj  a  Buddha."  So  sajung,  he  created  by  magic  a  clean  rag 
and  gave  it  to  him,  "Wayman,"  said  he,  "take  this  and  develop 
[Concentration]  by  repeating  the  words:  'Removal  of  Impurity! 
Removal  of  Impurity.'  " 

Little  Wayman  sat  down  and  rubbed  with  his  hand  the  rag 
given  him  by  the  Teacher,  saying  as  he  did  so:  "Removal  of  Im- 
purity !  Removal  of  Impurity !"  As  he  did  so,  the  fibres  became 
soiled.  As  he  continued  to  rub  it,  it  got  to  look  like  a  pot-wiper. 
Having  attained  Ripeness  of  Knowledge,  he  established  thereon 
the  concept  of  Decay  and  Death,  and  reflected :  "This  rag,  natu- 
rally white  and  perfectly  clean,  by  reason  of  a  body  which  has  the 
Attachments,  has  become  soiled.  Precisely  so  does  it  fare  with  the 
thoughts  also."  He  developed  Concentration,  and  employing  as 
props  the  Four  Trances  leading  to  the  Realm  of  Form,  attained 
Sainthood  together  with  the  [Four]  Analytical  Powers.  Having 
obtained  Knowledge  of  a  Spiritual  Body,  he  was  able,  being  one 
man,  to  become  many  men;  and,  being  many  men,  to  become  one 
man.  By  the  Path  of  Sainthood  merely,  he  acquired  both  the 
Tepitaka  and  the  Six  Supernatural  Powers. 

On  the  following  day  the  Teacher,  accompanied  by  five  hun- 
dred monks  less  one,  went  and  sat  down  in  Jivaka's  residence.  But 
Little  Wayman,  for  the  simple  reason  that  food  in  alms  had  not 
been  accepted  for  himself,  did  not  go.  Jivaka  started  to  give  gruel. 
The  Teacher  covered  his  bowl  Avith  his  hand.  "Whj^,  Reverend  Sir, 
do  you  not  take  it.''"  "There  is  one  monk  left  in  the  monaster}^, 
Jivaka."  Jivaka  sent  a  man,  saying :  "Go  get  the  noble  monk  who 
sits  in  the  monastery  and  fetch  him  back  with  you." 

As  for  the  Elder  Little  Wayman,  before  ever  that  man  arrived, 
he  created  a  thousand  monks.  Not  a  single  one  did  he  make  like 
any  other.  Of  not  a  single  one  did  he  make  the  monk's  labor, — 
examination  of  robes,  for  example, — like  any  other.  That  man, 
seeing  the  multiplicity  of  monks  in  the  monastery,  went  and  said 
to  Jivaka :  "Reverend  Sir,  the  Congregation  of  INIonks  in  the  mon- 
astery is  larger  than  this  Congregation  of  Monks  here.  I  do  not 
know  which  reverend  monk  I  ought  to  summon." 

Jivaka  in  turn  asked  the  Teacher:  "Reverend  Sir,  what  is  the 
name  of  the  monk  who  sits  in  the  monastery.'"'  "His  name  is  Little 
Wayman,  Jivaka."  "Go  sir,  ask,  'Which  is  the  monk  named  Little 
Wayman  .f"  and  fetch  him  back  with  you."  The  man  went  to  the 


Par.  50.]  Little  Wayman  143 

monastery  and  asked:  "Which  is  the  monk  named  Little  Way- 
man.'"'  "I  am  Little  Wayman!  I  am  Little  Wayman!"  cried  the 
thousand  monks  as  one  monk.  Again  he  went  and  said  to  Jivaka : 
"Monks  to  the  number  of  a  thousand,  each  and  every  one,  cry  out : 
'I  am  Little  Wayman!'  I  do  not  know:  'Such-and-such  a  monk 
is  the  one  to  summon.'  "  Jivaka,  knowing  by  inference  that  the 
monks  were  created  by  magical  power  acquired  through  Penetra- 
tion of  Truth,  said:  "Friend,  say  to  the  very  first  monk  who 
speaks :  'The  Teacher  summons  you ;'  and  take  him  by  the  hem  of 
his  robe  and  fetch  him  back  with  you."  The  man  went  to  the 
monastery  and  did  so.  Immediately  monks  to  the  number  of  a 
thousand  disappeared.  That  man  returned  with  the  Elder.  The 
Teacher  at  that  moment  took  gruel. 

When  the  Possessor  of  the  Ten  Forces  had  finished  his  meal 
and  had  returned  to  the  monastery,  the  following  talk  began  in 
the  Hall  of  Truth :  "How  mighty,  indeed,  are  the  Buddhas !  They 
have  endowed  with  magical  power  so  great  as  this,  a  monk  who  in 
the  space  of  four  months  could  not  learn  a  single  stanza."  The 
Teacher,  knowing  the  course  of  the  thoughts  of  those  monks, 
seated  himself  in  the  Seat  of  the  Buddhas  and  asked:  "Monks, 
what  are  you  saying.?"  "Exalted  One,  naught  but  this  are  we 
saying :  'Little  Wayman  has  received  rich  gain  from  you.'  Of  your 
virtues  only  are  we  talking." 

"It  is  no  wonder,  monks,  that  just  now,  by  obeying  my  admoni- 
tion, he  obtained  an  inheritance  which  transcends  the  world.  This 
youth  in  a  former  existence  also,  when  my  knowledge  was  not  yet 
fully  ripened,  by  obeying  my  admonition  obtained  a  worldly  in- 
heritance." "When  was  that.  Reverend  Sir.^^"  said  the  monks,  re- 
questing to  know  more  about  it.  The  Teacher  explained  the  matter 
to  those  monks  by  relating  the  following 

C.  Story  of  the  Past:  The  mouse-merchant 

Monks,  in  times  past  a  king  named  Brahmadatta  ruled  in 
Benares  City.  At  that  time  a  wise,  far-sighted  youth  named  Mer- 
chant Little  knew  all  the  signs.  One  day,  as  he  was  on  his  way  to 
wait  upon  the  king,  he  saw  a  decayed  mouse  in  the  street.  Com- 
paring the  positions  of  the  constellations  at  the  moment,  he  said 


144  The  Last  Shall  Be  First  [Chap.  IX. 

this :  "It  is  possible  for  a  youth  who  has  his  eyes  open,  by  picking 
up  this  mouse,  both  to  support  a  wife  and  to  carry  on  business." 

A  certain  poverty-stricken  youth,  hearing  those  words  of  the 
merchant,  thought :  "It  cannot  be  that  this  man  does  not  know 
what  he  is  talking  about."  He  picked  up  the  mouse,  offered  it  in 
a  certain  shop  for  cat's  food,  and  received  a  farthing.  With  that 
farthing  he  obtained  raw  sugar,  and  water  in  a  water-pot.  At 
dawn,  seeing  garland-makers  approaching,  he  presented  ever  so 
small  a  fragment  of  sugar,  and  presented  water  in  a  ladle.  They 
gave  him  each  a  handful  of  flowers.  With  those  flowers  as  capital, 
on  the  following  day  also  he  obtained  raw  sugar  and  a  jar  of 
water,  and  went  to  the  same  flower  garden.  That  day  the  garland- 
makers  gave  him  half-plucked  stalks  of  flowers  as  they  went  by. 
In  no  very  long  time  he  obtained  in  this  way  eight  pieces  of  money. 
Again,  one  windy  rainy  day,  he  went  to  the  refuse-yard,  piled  up 
the  sticks  that  had  fallen,  and  sat  down.  From  the  king's  potter 
he  received  sixteen  pieces  of  money. 

Having  thus  accumulated  twenty-four  pieces  of  money,  he 
thought :  "This  is  the  way  for  me !"  At  a  point  not  far  from  the 
city  he  set  a  chatty  of  water  and  served  five  hundred  grass-carriers 
with  water.  Said  they :  "You,  sir,  are  doing  much  for  us.  What  can 
we  do  for  you.'"'  Said  he:  "When  I  have  something  to  do,  please 
help  me  out."  Going  about  here  and  there,  he  made  friends  with 
a  landsman  and  a  seaman.  The  landsman  told  him :  "To-morrow  a 
horse-dealer  will  arrive  with  five  hundred  horses."  Hearing  his 
words,  he  gave  the  sign  to  the  grass-carriers  and  had  them  fetch 
twice  as  many  bundles  of  grass.  And  when  the  horses  entered  the 
city,  having  piled  up  a  thousand  bundles  of  grass  in  the  gateway, 
he  sat  down.  The  horse-dealer,  unable  to  get  feed  for  his  horses 
anywhere  in  the  city,  gave  him  a  thousand  pieces  of  money  and 
took  that  grass. 

A  few  days  after  that,  his  friend  the  seaman  told  him :  "A  big 
ship  has  arrived  in  port."  He  thought :  "This  is  the  way !"  With 
eight  pieces  of  money  he  hired  a  covered  chariot  for  so  much  an 
hour,  went  to  the  ship's  port,  and  pledged  a  seal-ring  for  the  ship. 
Not  far  off  he  had  a  tent  set  up,  and  seating  himself  therein,  gave 
orders  to  his  men :  "When  merchants  arrive  from  abroad,  have 
them  announced  by  three  porters." 

Hearing,  "A  ship  has  arrived  in  port,"  a  hundred  merchants 


Par.  50.]  Little  Wayman  145 

came  from  Benares,  saying,  "Let  us  have  wares."  "Wares  you 
will  not  get ;  in  such-and-such  a  place  is  a  great  merchant  who  has 
given  a  pledge  for  the  lot."  Hearing  this,  they  went  to  him.  At- 
tendants, at  a  sign  from  the  first  porter,  sent  announcement  of 
their  arrival  by  three  porters.  Those  hundred  merchants,  giving 
each  a  thousand  pieces  of  money,  acquired  possession  of  the  ship 
with  him  as  partner;  and  again  giving  him  each  a  thousand  pieces 
of  money,  acquired  his  interest  in  the  ship  and  made  the  wares 
their  own  property. 

That  youth,  having  gained  two  hundred  thousand  pieces  of 
money,  returned  to  Benares.  Thinking,  "One  should  show  his  grate- 
fulness," he  went  to  Merchant  Little,  causing  one  hundred  thou- 
sand pieces  of  money  to  be  carried  with  him.  The  merchant  asked 
him:  "Friend,  what  did  you  do  to  get  this  wealth.?"  The  youth 
replied:  "By  following  the  suggestion  which  you  made,  I  got  this 
in  only  four  months'  time."  The  merchant,  hearing  his  reply, 
thought:  "Now  I  must  not  let  such  a  youth  get  into  the  hands  of 
another."  So  when  the  youth  grew  up,  the  merchant  gave  him  his 
daughter  in  marriage  and  made  him  master  of  all  his  wealth. 
That  youth,  on  the  death  of  the  merchant,  succeeded  to  the  rank 
of  principal  merchant  in  that  city,  and  having  remained  on  earth 
during  the  term  of  life  allotted  to  him,  passed  away  according  to 
his  deeds.  End  of  Story  of  the  Past. 

The  Teacher,  having  related  the  two  stories,  joined  the  con- 
nection, and  speaking  as  One  Fully  Enlightened,  uttered  the  fol- 
lowing stanza : 

Even  with  little  wealth,  a  man  who  is  wise  and  intelligent 

Can  elevate  himself  to  high  position  in  the  world, 

Just  as  by  blowing  a  tiny  flame  one  can  start  a  great  fire. 

Thus  did  the  Teacher  explain  this  matter  to  the  monks  seated 
in  the  Hall  of  Truth.  But  subsequently,  the  Teacher,  surrounded 
by  the  Company  of  the  Noble,  seated  in  the  Seat  of  Truth,  as- 
signed to  Elder  Little  Wayman  the  rank  of  foremost  of  those  who 
have  power  to  create  a  spiritual  body,  and  of  those  who  are  skilled 
in  the  development  of  thought;  and  to  Big  Wayman  the  rank  of 
foremost  of  those  who  are  skilled  in  the  development  of  perception. 


146  Giving  Worse  for  Better  [Chap.  IX. 

51.  NANDxV  THE  ELDER 
Gizing  up  worse  for  better. 

A.  Canonical  version. 
Udanaiii.  2:21-24. 

Thus  have  I  heard:  Once  upon  a  time  the  Exalted  One  was  in 
residence  at  Savatthi,  at  Jetavana,  in  Anathapindika's  Grove. 
Now  at  that  time  Venerable  Nanda,  cousin  of  the  Exalted  One,  son 
of  his  mother's  sister,  informed  numerous  monks  as  follows :  "In 
discontent,  brethren,  am  I  living  the  Religious  Life;  I  cannot 
stand  the  Religious  Life;  I  intend  to  renounce  the  Vows  and  to 
return  to  the  lower  life,  the  life  of  a  layman." 

Now  a  certain  monk  approached  the  Exalted  One;  having  ap- 
proached, he  saluted  the  Exalted  One  and  sat  down  on  one  side. 
And  as  he  sat  there  on  one  side,  that  monk  said  this  to  the  Exalted 
One :  "Reverend  Sir,  Venerable  Nanda,  cousin  of  the  Exalted  One, 
son  of  his  mother's  sister,  informs  numerous  monks  as  follows :  'In 
discontent,  brethren,  am  I  living  the  Religious  Life ;  I  cannot  stand 
the  Religious  Life ;  I  intend  to  renounce  the  Vows  and  to  return  to 
the  lower  life,  the  life  of  a  layman.'  " 

Now  the  Exalted  One  addressed  a  certain  monk :  "Come  3^ou, 
monk,  in  my  name  address  Nanda  the  monk:  'The  Teacher  sum- 
mons you,  brother  Nanda.'  "  "Yes,  Reverend  Sir,"  said  that  monk 
to  the  Exalted  One.  And  in  obedience  to  the  Teacher's  command 
that  monk  approached  Venerable  Nanda.  And  having  approached, 
he  said  this  to  Venerable  Nanda :  "The  Teacher  summons  you, 
Venerable  Nanda." 

"Yes,  brother,"  said  Venerable  Nanda  to  that  monk.  And  in 
obedience  to  that  monk's  command  he  approached  the  Exalted 
One.  And  having  approached,  he  saluted  the  Exalted  One  and  sat 
down  on  one  side.  And  as  he  sat  there  on  one  side,  the  Exalted  One 
said  this  to  Venerable  Nanda:  "Is  it  true,  Nanda,  as  they  say, 
that  you  said  this  and  that.?"  "Yes,  Reverend  Sir."  "But,  Nanda, 
what  is  the  matter.'"' 

"Reverend  Sir,  as  I  was  coming  out  of  the  house,  my  noble 
wife  Bcllc-of-the-land,  with  hair  half-combed,  took  leave  of  me, 
saying:  'As  soon  as  ever  you  can.  Noble  Sir,  please  come  back 


Par.  51.]  N anda  the  Elder  147 

again.'  Reverend  Sir,  it  is  because  I  keep  remembering  her  that  I 
am  living  the  Religious  Life  in  discontent ;  that  I  cannot  stand  the 
Religious  Life;  that  I  intend  to  return  to  the  lower  life,  the  life 
of  a  layman." 

Thereupon  the  Exalted  One,  taking  Venerable  Nanda  by  the 
arm,  just  as  a  strong  man  might  straighten  his  bent  arm  or  bend 
his  straightened  arm,  precisely  so  disappeared  from  Jetavana  and 
appeared  among  the  gods  of  the  Thirty-three.  Now  at  that  time 
five  hundred  pink-footed  celestial  nymphs  were  come  to  wait  upon 
Sakka  king  of  gods.  Accordingly  the  Exalted  One  addressed  Ven- 
erable Nanda:  "Nanda,  do  you  see  these  five  hundred  pink- footed 
celestial  nymphs.'"'  "Yes,  Reverend  Sir."  "What  is  your  opinion, 
Nanda.? — Which  are  the  more  beautiful  and  fair  to  look  upon  and 
handsome,  your  noble  wife  Belle-of-the-land,  or  these  five  hundred 
pink- footed  celestial  nymphs.?" 

"Reverend  Sir,  as  far  inferior  as  is  a  greedy  female  monkey  with 
ears  and  nose  cut  off  to  my  noble  wife  Belle-of-the-land,  even  so 
far  inferior.  Reverend  Sir,  is  my  noble  wife  Belle-of-the-land  to 
these  five  hundred  pink-footed  celestial  nymphs.  In  comparison 
with  them,  she  does  not  even  come  into  the  count,  she  does  not 
even  come  within  a  fractional  part  of  them,  she  cannot  even  be 
compared  with  them.  Of  course  these  five  hundred  pink-footed 
celestial  nymphs  are  more  beautiful  and  fair  to  look  upon  and 
handsome !" 

"Cheer  up,  Nanda !  Cheer  up,  Nanda !  I  guarantee  that  you 
shall  win  these  five  hundred  pink-footed  celestial  nymphs !"  "If, 
Reverend  Sir,  the  Exalted  One  guarantees  that  I  shall  win  these 
five  hundred  pink-footed  celestial  nymphs,  in  that  case,  Reverend 
Sir,  Exalted  One,  I  shall  take  the  greatest  pleasure  in  living  the 
Religious  Life." 

Then  the  Exalted  One,  taking  Venerable  Nanda  by  the  arm, 
just  as  a  strong  man  might  straighten  his  bent  arm  or  bend  his 
straightened  arm,  precisely  so  disappeared  from  among  the  gods 
of  the  Thirty-three  and  appeared  at  Jetavana.  Now  the  monks 
heard:  "It  appears  that  it  is  in  hope  of  winning  celestial  nymphs 
that  Venerable  Nanda,  cousin  of  the  Exalted  One,  son  of  his 
mother's  sister,  is  living  the  Religious  Life.  It  appears  that  the 


148  Giving  Worse  for  Better  [Chap.  IX. 

Exalted  One  has  guaranteed  tliat  he  shall  win  five  hundred  pmk- 
footed  celestial  nymphs." 

And  ^'enerable  Nanda's  fellow-monks  accosted  Venerable  Nanda 
with  the  epithets  "hireling"  and  "bought-with-a-price,"  saying: 
"It  appears  that  Venerable  Nanda  is  a  hireling;  it  appears  that 
Venerable  Nanda  is  one  bought  with  a  price.  It  appears  that  it  is 
in  hope  of  winning  celestial  nymphs  that  Venerable  Nanda  is  living 
the  Religious  Life;  it  appears  that  the  Exalted  One  has  guaran- 
teed that  he  shall  win  five  hundred  pink-footed  celestial  nymphs." 

Now  Venerable  Nanda,  although  his  fellow-monks  despised  him, 
were  ashamed  of  him,  and  tormented  him  by  calling  him  "hireling" 
and  "bought-with-a-price,"  nevertheless,  living  in  solitude,  with- 
drawn from  the  world,  heedful,  ardent,  resolute,  proficient,  in  no 
long  time,  even  in  this  life,  himself  abode  in  the  knowledge,  realiza- 
tion, and  attainment  of  that  supreme  goal  of  the  Religious  Life 
for  the  sake  of  which  goodly  youths  retire  once  and  for  all  from 
the  house-life  to  the  houseless  life.  This  did  he  know:  "Rebirth  is 
at  an  end,  lived  is  the  Holy  Life,  duty  is  done ;  I  am  no  more  for 
this  world."  And  Venerable  Nanda  was  numbered  among  the 
Saints. 

Now  when  the  night  was  past,  a  certain  deity  of  wondrous 
beauty  approached  the  Exalted  One,  illuminating  the  entire  Jeta- 
vana.  And  having  approached,  he  saluted  the  Exalted  One  and 
stood  on  one  side.  And  as  he  stood  on  one  side,  that  deity  said  this 
to  the  Exalted  One:  "Reverend  Sir,  Venerable  Nanda,  cousin  of 
the  Exalted  One,  son  of  his  mother's  sister,  by  extinction  of  the 
Contaminations,  even  in  this  life,  himself  abides  in  the  knowledge, 
realization,  and  attainment  of  freedom  from  the  Contaminations, 
emancipation  of  the  heart,  emancipation  of  the  intellect."  And 
there  arose  within  the  Exalted  One  also  knowledge  of  the  follow- 
ing: "Nanda,  by  extinction  of  the  Contaminations,  even  in  this 
life,  himself  abides  in  the  knowledge,  realization,  and  attainment 
of  freedom  from  the  Contaminations,  emancipation  of  the  heart, 
emancipation  of  the  intellect." 

Now  when  that  night  was  past.  Venerable  Nanda  approached 
the  Exalted  One.  And  having  approached,  he  saluted  the  Exalted 
One  and  sat  down  on  one  side.  And  as  he  sat  there  on  one  side, 
Venerable  Nanda  said  this  to  the  Exalted  One:  "Reverend  Sir,  I 
release  the  Exalted  One  from  the  promise  which  he  made  when  he. 


Par.  51.]  Nanda  the  Elder  149 

the  Exalted  One,  guaranteed  that  I  should  win  five  hundred  pink- 
footed  celestial  nymphs."  "Nanda,  I  also  grasped  your  mind  with 
my  own  mind,  and  saw :  'Nanda,  by  extinction  of  the  Contamina- 
tions, even  in  this  life,  himself  abides  in  the  knowledge,  realization, 
and  attainment  of  freedom  from  the  Contaminations,  emancipation 
of  the  heart,  emancipation  of  the  intellect.'  Likewise  a  deity  in- 
formed me  of  the  fact,  saying :  'Nanda,  by  extinction  of  the  Con- 
taminations, even  in  this  life,  himself  abides  in  the  knowledge, 
realization,  and  attainment  of  freedom  from  the  Contaminations, 
emancipation  of  the  heart,  emanicaption  of  the  intellect.'  When, 
therefore,  Nanda,  you  ceased  to  cling  to  the  things  of  the  world, 
and  your  heart  was  released  from  the  Contaminations,  at  that 
moment  I  was  released  from  that  promise." 


B.  Uncanonical  version. 
Anguttara  Commentary  190-192. 

Nanda  obtained  a  new  conception  in  Kapila  City  in  the  womb 
of  Maha  Pajapati  Gotaml.  On  his  name-day  he  gave  joy  and 
pleasure  to  his  assembled  kinsfolk;  therefore  they  named  him 
Prince  Nanda,  or  Joy. 

The  Great  Being,  having  attained  Omniscience,  having  set  in 
motion  the  glorious  Wheel  of  the  Doctrine,  in  gracious  condescen- 
sion to  mankind  proceeded  from  Rajagaha  to  Kapila  City.  At  first 
sight  he  established  his  father  in  the  Fruit  of  Conversion.  On  the 
following  day  he  went  to  his  father's  residence,  gave  admonition 
to  the  Mother  of  Rahula,  and  preached  the  Doctrine  to  the  rest 
of  the  people  besides. 

On  the  following  day,  while  the  ceremonies  of  Prince  Nanda's 
sprinkling,  house-warming,  and  marriage  were  in  progress,  he 
went  to  his  residence,  permitted  the  Prince  to  take  his  bowl,  and 
for  the  purpose  of  making  a  monk  of  him,  set  out  in  the  direction 
of  the  monastery.  The  sprinkling-ceremony  did  not  thus  weigh 
heavily  upon  Prince  Nanda.  He  took  the  bowl.  As  he  departed  with 
the  Teacher,  Belle-of-the-land,  on  an  upper  floor  of  the  splendid 
mansion,  opened  a  window  and  screamed:  "As  soon  as  ever  you 
can,  Noble  Sir,  please  come  back !"  Nanda  heai'd  this,  and  over- 
mastered with  desire  and  lust,  gazed  at  her.  But  out  of  reverence 


150  Giving  Worse  for  Better  [Chap.  IX. 

for  the  Teacher  he  did  not  dare  take  the  hint  and  do  as  he  wished 
to  do.  Therefore  his  heart  burned. 

"He  will  turn  around  here !  he  will  turn  around  here !"  thought 
Nanda,  But  for  all  his  thinking,  the  Teacher  conducted  him  to  the 
monastery  and  made  a  monk  of  him.  Even  while  the  Teacher  was 
making  a  monk  of  liim,  he  did  not  dare  resist,  but  consented  by 
remaining  silent. 

But  from  the  day  when  he  became  a  monk,  he  remembered  only 
the  words  which  Belle-of-the-land  had  spoken.  And  to  him  she 
seemed  to  come  and  stand  not  far  off.  Oppressed  with  discontent, 
he  would  go  a  little  way,  and  every  time  he  passed  a  shrub  or  a 
bush,  the  Possessor  of  the  Ten  Forces  seemed  to  stand  before  him. 
As  a  cock's  feather  is  tossed  into  the  fire,  even  so  he  would  whirl 
around  and  go  back  again  into  his  own  place  of  residence. 

Thought  the  Teacher:  "Nanda  is  excessively  unheedful;  he 
cannot  suppress  discontent.  I  must  extinguish  his  passion."  So  he 
said  to  him:  "Come,  Nanda,  let's  make  a  journey  to  heaven!" 
"Exalted  One,  how  am  I  to  go  to  a  place  to  which  only  those  can 
go  who  possess  magical  power.'"'  "You  just  make  up  your  mind 
to  go !  Go,  and  you  will  see !" 

By  the  supernatural  power  of  the  Possessor  of  the  Ten  Forces, 
Nanda  made  the  journey  to  heaven  with  the  Tathagata  himself. 
Looking  at  the  abode  of  Sakka  king  of  gods,  he  saw  five  hundred 
celestial  nymphs.  The  Teacher  saw  Nanda  looking  at  those  nymphs 
with  pleasure  as  his  aim.  Seeing,  he  asked:  "Nanda,  do  these 
nymphs  please  you,  or  does  Belle-of-the-land  .P"  "Reverend  Sir,  in 
comparison  with  these  nymphs,  Belle-of-the-land  looks  like  a 
female  monkey  blind  of  one  eye,  with  ears  and  nose  cut  off!" 
"Nanda,  nymphs  like  these  are  not  hard  to  win  for  those  who 
practice  meditation!"  "If,  Reverend  Sir,  the  Exalted  One  is  my 
surety,  I  will  practice  meditation."  "You  trust  me,  Nanda !  Prac- 
tice meditation  with  confidence.  In  case  you  die  tvith  rebirth  as 
your  lot,  I  guarantee  that  you  will  win  them."  So ! 

The  Teacher,  having  journeyed  to  heaven  as  he  pleased,  re- 
turned once  more  to  Jetavana.  From  that  time  on.  Elder  Nanda 
practiced  meditation  night  and  day  in  the  hope  of  winning  the 
nymphs.  The  Teacher  gave  orders  to  the  monks :  "You  walk  about 
and  say  here  and  there:  'In  Nanda's  place  of  residence,  a  certain 
monk, — so   they   say ! — having   made   the   Possessor   of   the   Ten 


Par.  52.]  Bhadda  Kundalakesd  151 

Forces  his  surety,  is  practicing  meditation  in  the  hope  of  winning 
celestial  nymphs !'  " 

The  monks,  having  promised  to  do  as  the  Teacher  said,  walked 
about  within  earshot  of  the  Elder  and  said :  "Venerable  Nanda  is 
a  hireling, — so  they  say !  Venerable  Nanda  is  one  bought-with-a- 
price, — so  they  say !  He  is  leading  the  Holy  Life  in  the  hope  of 
winning  celestial  nymphs !  The  Exalted  One, — so  they  say ! — has 
guaranteed  that  he  shall  win  five  hundred  pink-footed  celestial 
nymphs !" 

Elder  Nanda,  hearing  that  talk,  thought :  "These  monks  are 
talking  about  nobody  else, — they  are  talking  about  me.  Improper 
is  the  deed  I  have  done !"  And  applying  himself  to  meditation,  he 
developed  Insight  and  attained  Sainthood. 

Now  the  instant  he  attained  Sainthood,  a  certain  deity  informed 
the  Exalted  One  of  that  fact.  Moreover  the  Exalted  One  himself 
was  fully  aware  of  it.  On  the  following  day  Elder  Nanda  ap- 
proached the  Exalted  One  and  spoke  thus :  "Reverend  Sir,  I  release 
the  Exalted  One  from  the  promise  which  he  made  when  he,  the 
Exalted  One,  guaranteed  that  I  should  win  five  hundred  pink- 
footed  celestial  nymphs." 

52.  BHADDA  KUNDALAKESA 

Quick  is  the  wit  of  woman. 
Anguttara  Commentary  220-224. 

In  Section  Nine,  by  the  words  Of  those  who  are  quick  to  obtain 
the  [Six]  Supernatural  Powers,  the  Teacher  declares  Bhadda 
Kundalakesa  to  be  foremost  of  nuns  who  are  quick  to  obtain  the 
[jSi-r]  Supernatural  Powers. 

For  she  also,  reborn  in  the  dispensation  of  the  Buddha  Padu- 
muttara  in  the  city  HamsavatI  in  a  respectable  family,  hearing  the 
Teacher  preach  the  Doctrine,  seeing  him  assign  preeminence 
among  those  who  were  quick  to  obtain  the  [Six]  Supernatural 
Powers  to  a  certain  nun,  made  an  Earnest  Wish,  aspiring  to  that 
rank. 

After  following  the  stream  of  the  Round  of  Existences  in  the 
Worlds  of  the  Gods  and  the  world  of  men  for  a  hundred  thousand 
cycles  of  time,  she  was  reborn  in  the  dispensation  of  the  Buddha 


152  Quick  Is  Woman's  Wit  [Chap.  IX. 

Kassapa  in  the  household  of  Kiki,  king  of  Kasi,  as  one  of  seven 
sisters.  For  twenty  thousand  years  she  took  upon  herself  the  Ten 
Precepts,  lived  the  Holy  Life  of  a  princess,  caused  cells  of  resi- 
dence to  be  erected  for  the  Order,  and  after  following  the  stream 
of  the  Round  of  Existences  in  the  Worlds  of  the  Gods  and  the 
world  of  men  during  the  interval  between  the  Buddha  Kassapa 
and  the  Buddha  Gotama,  was  reborn  in  the  dispensation  of  the 
Buddlia  Gotama  in  the  city  of  Rajagaha  in  the  household  of  a 
rich  merchant.  They  gave  her  the  name  Bhadda,  or  Felicia,  or 
Blessed. 

That  same  day  moreover,  in  that  city,  the  house-priest  of  the 
king  had  a  son  born.  At  the  time  of  his  birth,  throughout  the  city, 
beginning  with  the  king's  residence,  weapons  flashed  light.  The 
house-priest,  very  early  in  the  morning,  went  to  the  king's  resi- 
dence and  inquired  of  the  king  whether  he  had  slept  well.  Said  the 
king:  "How,  master,  could  you  expect  Us  to  sleep  well.?  All  last 
night  the  weapons  in  the  royal  residence  flashed  light;  We  saw 
them  and  were  stricken  with  fear." 

"Great  king,  don't  worry  about  that.  Not  in  your  residence  only 
did  weapons  flash  light ;  it  was  the  same  all  over  the  city."  "What 
was  the  cause,  master.?"  "In  our  house  a  boy  was  born  under  the 
constellation  of  a  robber.  He  has  come  into  existence  as  an  enemy 
of  the  entire  city.  That  was  his  sign;  you  have  nothing  to  fear. 
But  if  you  wish,  we'll  get  rid  of  him."  "So  long  as  we  suffer  no 
injury,  there  is  no  necessity  of  getting  rid  of  him." 

Said  the  house-priest:  "My  son  has  actually  brought  his  own 
name  with  him !"  Accordingly  he  gave  the  boy  simply  the  name 
Little  Enemy.  In  the  merchant's  house  Bhadda  grew  up,  and  like- 
wise in  the  house-priest's  house  Little  Enemy  grew  up.  From  the 
time  he  was  old  enough  to  play  and  inin  hither  and  j'on,  wherever 
he  went,  he  laid  hands  on  everything  he  saw,  and  filled  the  house  of 
his  mother  and  father.  His  father  gave  him  a  thousand  reasons, 
but  for  all  tliat  could  not  stop  him.  But  later  on,  when  the  boy 
had  grown  to  manhood,  the  father,  realizing  that  by  no  means  in 
his  power  could  he  stop  him,  gave  him  two  dark  blue  garments  to 
wear,  placed  in  his  hands  a  housebreaking  outfit  and  a  block-and- 
tackle,  and  dismissed  him,  saying:  "Get  a  living  this  way  anyhow.'* 

From  that  day  on  he  would  throw  his  block-and-tackle,  climb 
the  face  of  houses,  make  a  breacli  in  the  wall,  and  taking  goods  dc- 


Par.  52.]  Bliaddd  Kundalakesd  153 

posited  in  other  people's  houses  with  as  much  assurance  as  though 
he  had  himself  deposited  them,  go  his  way.  In  the  entire  city  there 
was  not  a  single  house  he  didn't  plunder. 

One  day  the  king,  driving  through  the  city  in  a  chariot,  asked 
his  charioteer:  "How  comes  it  that  the  houses  in  this  city  are 
everywhere  nothing  but  holes .f"'  "Your  majesty,  in  this  city  is  a 
robber  named  Little  Enemy  who  is  breaking  through  walls  and 
robbing  people's  houses."  The  king  had  the  city  watchman  sum- 
moned :  "In  this  city,  I  am  told,  is  a  robber  who  does  this  and  that. 
Why  don't  you  catch  him?"  "Your  majesty,  we  can't  get  that 
robber  with  the  goods !"  "If  you  don't  catch  that  robber  to-day,  I 
will  do  for  you  as  does  a  king." 

"Very  well,  your  majesty,"  said  the  city  watchman.  He  had 
men  patrol  the  entire  city,  and  catching  that  robber  in  the  act  of 
breaking  through  a  wall  and  robbing  other  people  of  their  prop- 
erty, arraigned  him,  goods  and  all,  before  the  king.  Said  the  king : 
"Conduct  this  robber  out  of  the  South  gate  and  have  him  exe- 
cuted." The  city  watchman,  in  obedience  to  the  king's  command, 
having  given  that  robber  a  thousand  lashes  at  every  cross-roads, 
went  out  of  the  South  gate  with  him. 

At  that  time  this  maiden  Bhadda,  daughter  of  the  rich  mer- 
chant, hearing  the  hubbub  of  the  multitude,  opened  a  Avindow, 
looked  out,  and  saw  Little  Enemy  the  robber  being  led  along  in 
this  manner.  Seeing,  she  pressed  both  hands  to  her  heart  and  went 
and  laid  herself  down  on  her  splendid  couch  with  upturned  face. 
Now  she  was  the  sole  dearly  beloved  daughter  of  that  house, 
wherefore  her  kinsfolk  could  not  bear  even  the  slightest  altera- 
tion for  the  worse  in  her  facial  expression.  So  when  they  saw  her 
lying  on  her  couch,  they  asked  her:  "What  are  you  doing,  dear 
girl.P"  "Did  you  see  that  robber  being  led  to  execution  for  com- 
mitting a  capital  offense.?"  "Yes,  dear  girl,  we  saw  him."  "//  /  can 
have  him,  I  will  live;  if  I  cannot  have  him,, — death  only  for  me!" 

By  no  means  whatever  could  they  quiet  her.  "Life  is  better  than 
death !"  they  concluded.  So  her  father  went  to  the  city  watchman, 
gave  him  a  thousand  pieces  of  money  as  a  bi'ibe,  and  said  to  him: 
"My  daughter  is  in  love  with  a  robber.  Get  him  off  the  best  way 
you  can."  "Very  well,"  said  the  city  watchman.  In  obedience  to  the 
merchant's  command  he  took  the  robber,  dilly-dallied  here  and 
there  until  the  sun  was  about  to  set,  and  when  the  sun  was  about 


154  Quick  Is  Woman's  Wit  [Chap.  IX. 

to  set,  removing  a  certain  man  from  the  prison,  freed  Little 
Enemy  from  his  bonds,  sent  Little  Enemy  to  the  merchant's  house, 
bound  the  other  man  with  bonds,  conducted  him  out  of  the  South 
gate,  and  slew  him.  Moreover  slaves  of  the  merchant  escorted 
Little  Enemy  to  the  merchant's  residence. 

When  the  merchant's  daughter  saw  him,  she  thought:  "I  will 
fulfil  my  desire."  So  she  caused  Little  Enemy  to  bathe  in  per- 
fumed water,  caused  him  to  be  adorned  with  all  the  adornments, 
and  sent  him  to  the  mansion.  Bhadda,  thinking,  "Fulfilled  is  my 
aspiration,"  adorned  herself  with  the  adornments  that  were  left 
over,  and  spent  her  time  ministering  ta  him.  After  spending  a  few 
days  thus.  Little  Enemy  thought :  "This  woman's  ornaments  must 
be  mine ;  by  hook  or  crook  I  must  get  hold  of  them."  Accordingly, 
when  they  were  seated  together  happily,  he  said  to  Bhadda: 
"There  is  something  I  have  to  say." 

The  merchant's  daughter  was  as  pleased  at  heart  as  though  she 
had  gained  a  thousand  pieces  of  money.  "Speak  freely.  Noble  Sir," 
said  she.  Said  Little  Enemy :  "You  think :  'Through  me  this  man 
has  received  his  life.'  But  as  a  matter  of  fact,  the  instant  I  was 
caught,  I  made  the  following  vow  to  the  deity  residing  on  the 
mountain  called  Robbers'  Cliff :  'If  I  receive  my  life,  I  will  make  an 
offering  to  you.'  Make  haste  and  prepare  an  offering." 

Bhadda,  flunking,  "I  will  fulfil  his  desire,"  prepared  the  offer- 
ing, adorned  herself  with  all  her  adornments,  mounted  the  same 
conveyance,  accompanied  her  husband  to  the  mountain  called 
Robbers'  Cliff,  and  with  the  thought  in  her  mind,  "I  will  make  an 
offering  to  the  spirit  of  the  mountain,"  started  to  climb  the  moun- 
tain. 

Little  Enemy  thought :  "If  all  climb  the  mountain,  there  will  be 
no  chance  for  me  to  get  this  woman's  jewels."  Accordingly  he 
caused  Bhadda  alone  to  take  the  vessel  containing  the  offering; 
having  so  done,  he  climbed  the  mountain.  He  talked  with  Bhadda, 
but  the  words  he  spoke  were  not  friendly  words.  She  knew,  merely 
by  his  manner  of  acting,  what  he  was  up  to. 

Then  said  he  to  her:  "Bhadda,  take  off  your  cloak  and  wrap  up 
in  it  the  jewels  you  have  on."  "Husband,  what  wrong  have  I 
done.?"  "You  imagine:  'Why!  but  I  came  here  for  the  purpose  of 
making  an  offering !'  But  for  my  part,  I  could  tear  out  the  liver 
of  this  deity  and  devour  it !  As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  offering  was 


Par.  52.1  BJiadda  Kundalakcsd  155 

-1  •    • 

only  a  pretext  by  which  I  got  you  here  with  the  intention  of  taking 
your  jewels."  "But,  Noble  Sir,  to  whom  the  jewels  belong,  to  him 
I  also  belong."  "I  don't  admit  anything  of  the  sort.  Your  property 
is  one  thing,  my  property  is  another." 

"Very  well.  Noble  Sir.  But  fulfil  this  one  wish  of  mine:  Permit 
me,  adorned  just  as  I  am,  to  embrace  you  botli  before  and  behind." 
"Very  well,"  said  he,  consenting.  She,  knowing  that  he  had  con- 
sented, made  a  pretense  of  embracing  him  before  and  behind,  and 
— flung  him  over  the  cliff.  He  fell  through  the  air,  and  while  yet 
in  the  air,  was  reduced  to  powder  and  dust.  The  deity  residing  on 
the  mountain,  realizing  what  a  brilliant  thing  she  had  done,  uttered 
these  stanzas  in  praise  of  her  good  qualities : 

Not  under  all  circumstances  is  that  male  wise, — 
Woman  too  is  wise,  wary  of  this,  wary  of  that. 
Not  under  all  circumstances  is  that  male  wise, — 
Woman  too  is  wise,  though  she  have  but  an  instant  to  think. 

Then  Bhadda  thought:  "It  is  out  of  the  question,  as  matters 
stand,  for  me  to  go  back  home  again.  I  will  leave  this  place,  at  any 
rate,  retire  from  the  world,  and  enter  some  religious  order."  So  she 
went  to  the  monastery  of  the  Jains  and  asked  the  Jains  to  admit 
her  to  the  religious  life.  Now  they  said  to  her:  "What  mode  of 
religious  life  shall  it  be?"  She  replied:  "Admit  me  to  the  very 
highest  plane  of  your  religious  life."  "Very  well,"  said  they.  And 
tearing  out  her  hair  with  a  palm3a'a  comb,  they  admitted  her  to 
the  religious  life. 

When  her  hair  came  in  again,  it  grew  so  thick  that  it  hung  in 
curls  and  ringlets.  Solely  through  this  circumstance  she  received 
the  name  Curly-hair,  Kundalakesa. 

In  the  place  where  she  had  adopted  the  religious  life,  there  she 
learned  all  the  branches  of  religious  knowledge  they  had  to  teach. 
But  coming  to  the  conclusion  that  beyond  these  they  had  nothing 
of  any  special  worth,  she  wandered  through  villages,  market-towns, 
and  royal  cities,  visiting  all  the  places  where  there  were  wise  men, 
and  learning  all  the  branches  of  religious  knowledge  they  had  to 
teach.  In  fact,  so  learned  did  she  become  that  in  many  places  men 
were  unable  to  answer  her  questions. 

Finding  no  one  who  could  match  question  and  answer  with  her, 
whenever  she  entered  a  village  or  a  market-town,  she  would  make 


156  Quick  Is  Woman's  Wit  [Chap.  IX. 

a  pile  of  sand  at  the  gate,  plant  a  rose-apple  branch  on  it,  and 
give  the  sign  to  the  boys  standing  near :  "Whoever  has  the  courage 
to  argue  with  me, — let  him  trample  this  branch  under  his  feet!" 
For  seven  whole  days  there  were  none  who  trampled  the  branch 
under  their  feet.  So  she  took  it  and  departed. 

At  this  time  our  Exalted  One,  reborn  in  the  world  of  men,  was 
in  residence  at  Jetavana  near  Savatthi.  Kundalakesa  in  due  course 
reached  Savatthi,  and  entering  within  the  city,  planted  the  branch 
on  a  pile  of  sand  precisely  as  before,  and  gave  the  sign  to  the  boys 
standing  near.  At  this  time  Sariputta,  Commander  of  the  Faith, 
entered  the  city  quite  alone,  having  permitted  the  Congregation  of 
Monks  to  precede  him,  and  seeing  the  rose-apple  branch  on  the 
pile  of  sand,  asked:  "How  does  this  come  to  be  planted  here.?" 
The  boys  told  him  what  there  was  about  it,  omitting  none  of  the 
details.  "If  that's  the  case,  boys,  take  it  and  trample  it  under 
your  feet."  When  the  boys  heard  the  Elder  say  this,  there  were 
some  who  did  not  dare  trample  it  under  their  feet ;  but  others,  the 
very  instant  the  Elder  gave  the  word,  trampled  it  under  their  feet 
and  reduced  it  to  powder  and  dust. 

Kundalakesa,  having  finished  her  breakfast,  came  out.  Seeing 
the  branch  trampled  to  dust,  she  asked:  "Whose  is  this  work.?" 
Then  the  boys  told  her  that  they  themselves  had  done  it,  and  that 
Sariputta,  Commander  of  the  Faith,  had  put  them  up  to  it. 
Thought  she :  "Had  he  not  known  his  own  strength,  he  would  never 
have  dared  tell  these  boys  to  trample  this  branch  under  their  feet. 
He  must  certainly  be  some  great  man.  But  as  for  me,  since  I  am 
a  person  of  no  consequence,  I  shall  not  appear  to  advantage.  The 
best  thing  for  me  to  do  is  to  go  right  back  into  the  town  and  give 
the  sign  to  my  followers."  She  did  so.  (We  are  to  understand 
that  of  the  eighty  thousand  families  who  resided  in  the  city,  since 
they  had  all  things  in  common,  every  one  of  them  knew.) 

As  for  the  Elder,  when  he  had  finished  his  breakfast,  he  sat 
down  at  the  foot  of  a  tree.  Now  this  nun  Kundalakesa,  surrounded 
by  a  great  throng  of  people,  went  to  the  Elder,  exchanged  friendly 
greetings  with  him,  took  her  stand  on  one  side,  and  asked :  "Rever- 
end Sir,  was  it  you  who  told  those  boys  to  trample  that  branch 
under  their  feet.?"  "Yes,  it  was  I  who  told  those  boys  to  trample 
that  branch  under  their  feet."  "That  being  the  case.  Reverend 


Par.  52.1  Bhadda  Kundalakesd  157 

Sir,  I  should  like  to  engage  in  a  disputation  with  you."  "All  right, 
my  lady." 

"Whose  privilege  is  it  to  ask  questions,  and  whose  to  answer.'*" 
"As  for  asking  questions,  it  is  my  privilege  to  do  that ;  but  you  ask 
questions  on  whatever  subject  you  are  acquainted  with."  In  ac- 
cordance with  the  direction  of  the  Elder,  she  asked  him  questions 
about  every  single  doctrine  she  knew.  The  Elder  answered  every 
question  she  asked.  When  she  had  asked  all  of  her  questions,  she 
became  silent.  Then  said  the  Elder  to  her :  "You  have  asked  a 
great  deal.  Let  me  too  ask  a  single  question."  "Ask  it.  Reverend 
sir."  "What  is  One.?" 

Said  Kundalakesa:  "I  don't  know.  Reverend  Sir."  "If  you  don't 
know  that  little  bit,  what  else  can  you  be  supposed  to  know.?" 
Then  and  there  she  fell  at  the  Elder's  feet,  saying:  "In  you, 
Reverend  Sir,  do  I  seek  refuge."  "There  is  no  such  thing  as  seeking 
refuge  in  me.  Residing  at  a  neighboring  monastery  is  the  foremost 
individual  in  the  world  of  men  and  the  Worlds  of  the  Gods.  Seek 
refuge  in  him."  "I  will  do  so,"  said  she.  So  at  even-tide,  when  it 
was  time  for  the  Teacher  to  preach  the  Doctrine,  she  went  to  him, 
and  saluting  him  with  the  Five  Rests,  took  her  stand  on  one  side. 
The  Teacher,  knowing  that  by  the  course  she  had  adopted  she 
had  trampled  under  her  feet  all  existing  things,  uttered  this 
stanza: 

Even  if  there  were  a  hundred  stanzas 
Composed  of  verses  devoid  of  meaning, 
A  single  verse  of  a  stanza  were  better. 
By  the  hearing  of  which  a  man  attains  peace. 

At  the  conclusion  of  the  stanza,  even  as  she  stood  there,  she  at- 
tained Sainthood  together  with  the  [Four]  Analytical  Powers, 
and  requested  admission  to  the  Order.  The  Teacher  granted  her 
admission  to  her.  She  went  to  the  Nuns'  Convent  and  was  ad- 
mitted. 

On  a  later  occasion  the  following  talk  began  in  the  midst  of 
the  Fourfold  Assembly :  "Great  indeed  is  this  Bhadda  Kunda- 
lakesa, who  attained  Sainthood  at  the  conclusion  of  a  stanza  of 
four  verses !"  The  Teacher,  taking  advantage  of  this  opportunity, 
assigned  to  the  nun  Kundalakesa  preeminence  among  those  who 
are  quick  to  obtain  the  '[Six^  Supernatural  Powers. 


158  Ten  Admonitions  [Chap.  IX. 

53.  VISAKHA'S  MARRIAGE 

Honor  the  household  divinity. 
Aiiguttara  Commentary  241-249. 

In  the  Second  Sutta,  with  the  words  of  aJmsgivers,  the  Buddha 
declares  A'^isakha  Mother  of  Migara  to  be  foremost  of  female  lay 
disciples  who  delight  in  almsgiving. 

She,  we  are  told,  was  reborn  in  the  dispensation  of  the  Buddha 
Padumuttara  in  the  city  of  Harhsavati,  in  a  respectable  family. 
Later  on,  hearing  the  Teacher  preach  the  Doctrine,  and  seeing 
him  assign  a  certain  female  lay  disciple  to  the  rank  of  foremost  of 
almsgivers,  she  made  an  Earnest  Wish,  aspiring  to  that  distinc- 
tion. 

Passing  from  birth  to  birth  in  the  Worlds  of  the  Gods  and  the 
world  of  men  for  a  period  of  one  hundred  thousand  cycles  of  time, 
she  was  reborn  in  the  dispensation  of  the  Buddha  Kassapa  in  the 
household  of  Kiki  king  of  Kasi  as  the  youngest  of  seven  sisters. 
For  at  that  time 

Samani  and  Samanagutta  and  Bhikkhuni  and  Bhikkhadflyika 
And  Dhamma  and  Sudhamma  and  Sanghadasi  as  seventh 

were  seven  sisters.  In  the  present  dispensation,  as 

Kheraa  and  Uppalavanna  and  Patacara  and  GotamI 

And  Dhammadinna  and  Maha  Maya  and  Visakha  as  seventh 

have  they  been  reborn. 

The  seventh  of  these,  Saiighadas!,  after  passing  from  birth  to 
birth  during  the  interval  between  the  Buddha  Kassapa  and  the 
Buddha  Gotama,  received  a  new  conception  in  the  dispensation  of 
the  Buddha  Gotama  in  the  kingdom  of  Afiga,  in  the  city  of 
Bhaddiya,  in  the  womb  of  Lady  Flower,  chief  consort  of  Treas- 
urer Wealth-winner,  son  of  Treasurer  Ram.  They  gave  her  the 
name  Visakha. 

Conversion  of  Visakha. 

When  she  was  seven  years  old,  the  Possessor  of  the  Ten  Forces, 
seeing  that  the  Brahman  Scla  and  other  of  his  kinsmen  in  the  faith 
possessed  the  faculties  requisite  for  Conversion,  journeying  from 
place  to  place  in  that  kingdom  with  a  great  company  of  monks, 


Par.  53.]  Visakhd's  Marriage  159 

came  to  that  city.  Now  at  that  time  Householder  Ram  held  the 
post  of  treasurer  in  that  city,  being  the  chief  of  five  persons  of 
great  merit. 

(The  five  persons  of  great  merit  were  Treasurer  Ram,  Moon- 
lotus  his  principal  wife,  his  son  Wealth-winner,  his  wife  Lady 
Flower,  and  Treasurer  Ram's  slave  Punna.  Treasurer  Ram  pos- 
sessed limitless  wealth;  but  not  he  alone, — in  the  jurisdiction  of 
the  great  king  Bimbisara  there  were  five  possessors  of  limitless 
wealth:  Joti3'a,  Jatila,  Ram,  Punnaka,  and  Kakavaliya.) 

When  Treasurer  Ram  heard  that  the  Possessor  of  the  Ten 
Forces  had  come  to  his  own  city,  he  sent  for  the  maiden  Visakha, 
daughter  of  Treasurer  Wealth-winner,  and  spoke  thus :  "Dear 
girl,  both  for  you  and  for  me  this  is  an  auspicious  day.  With  the 
five  hundred  maidens  who  are  your  fellows,  mount  five  hundred 
chariots,  and  accompanied  by  five  hundred  slave-maidens,  go  forth 
to  meet  the  Possessor  of  the  Ten  Forces." 

Hearing  the  words  of  her  grandfather,  she  did  so.  Now  because 
she  well  knew  both  Avhat  to  do  and  what  not  to  do,  she  proceeded 
in  a  vehicle  as  far  as  there  was  room  for  a  vehicle  to  go ;  then, 
descending  from  the  vehicle,  she  approached  the  Teacher  on  foot, 
bowed  to  him,  and  took  her  stand  on  one  side.  Pleased  with  her 
conduct,  the  Teacher  preached  the  Doctrine  to  her,  and  at  the 
conclusion  of  his  discourse  both  she  and  her  five  hundred  maidens 
were  established  in  the  Fruit  of  Conversion. 

Treasurer  Ram  also  went  to  the  Teacher,  bowed  to  the  Teacher, 
and  sat  down  on  one  side.  The  Teacher  also,  because  of  his  con- 
duct, preached  the  Doctrine.  At  the  conclusion  of  the  discourse  he 
was  established  in  the  Fruit  of  Conversion.  Thereupon  he  invited 
the  Teacher  to  be  his  guest  on  the  morrow.  On  the  following  day 
he  entertained  in  his  own  house  the  Congregation  of  Monks  pre- 
sided over  by  the  Buddha,  serving  them  with  the  choicest  food, 
both  hard  and  soft,  and  in  like  manner  during  the  following  fort- 
night provided  them  with  abundant  food.  When  the  Teacher  had 
remained  in  the  city  of  Bhaddiya  during  his  good  pleasure,  he 
departed. 

Betrothal  of  Visdkhd. 

From  this  point  on,  the  story  should  be  confined  to  the  career 
of  Visakha,  to  the  exclusion  of  all  other  topics. 


ii 


160  Ten  Admonitions  [Chap.  IX. 

For  the  king  of  Kosala  at  Savatthi  sent  word  to  Bimbisara: 
In  my  jurisdiction  there  is  no  personage  possessed  of  limitless 
wealth;  let  him  send  us  a  personage  possessed  of  limitless  wealth!" 
The  king  took  counsel  with  his  ministers.  His  ministers  said :  "It 
is  impossible  to  send  a  great  personage,  but  we  will  send  a  single 
treasurer's  son."  And  they  mentioned  Treasurer  Wealth-winner, 
son  of  Treasurer  Ram.  The  king,  hearing  their  answer,  sent  him. 
And  the  king  of  Kosala  gave  him  the  post  of  treasurer  in  the  city 
of  Sfiketa,  seven  leagues  from  Savatthi,  and  provided  him  with  a 
residence  there. 

Now  there  lived  at  Savatthi  a  treasurer  named  Migara,  and  he 
had  a  son  named  Punnavaddhana  Kumara,  who  had  just  reached 
manhood.  Now  his  father,  knowing,  "My  son  has  reached  man- 
hood ;  it  is  time  for  me  to  get  him  married,"  sent  out  men  who  knew 
both  what  to  do  and  what  not  to  do,  sa3'ing:  "Seek  out  a  maiden 
in  a  family  of  birth  equal  to  our  own."  Seeing  at  Savatthi  no 
maiden  who  pleased  them,  they  went  to  Saketa. 

Now  that  day  Visakha,  accompanied  by  five  hundred  maidens  of 
age  equal  to  her  own,  went  to  a  certain  pool  to  make  holiday.  As 
for  those  men,  after  making  a  tour  of  the  city  and  seeing  no 
maiden  who  pleased  them,  they  stood  outside  of  the  city-gate. 
Now  at  that  time  the  god  began  to  rain.  Accordingly  those 
maidens  who  set  out  with  Visakha,  for  fear  of  getting  wet,  entered 
the  rest-house.  Those  men  saw  among  those  maidens  also  none  that 
pleased  them.  Last  of  all  those  maidens,  Visakha,  not  so  much  as 
recking  of  the  rain,  drenched  though  she  was,  entered  the  rest- 
house. 

Those  men,  even  when  they  saw  her,  thought :  "In  beauty  there 
may  be  some  other  besides  even  superior  to  her ;  but  this  beauty  of 
hers  is  like  the  ripe  fruit  of  a  pomegranate-tree  which  is  all  one 
mass  of  shade.  By  starting  up  a  conversation  and  talking  with  her 
we  shall  find  out  whether  her  voice  is  sweet  or  not."  So  they  said 
to  her:  "Dear  girl,  you  act  like  a  woman  that  has  long  since 
reached  her  maturity."  "What  do  you  see  that  makes  you  say  this, 
friends.''"  "Tlic  other  maidens  who  are  your  playfellows,  for  fear 
of  getting  wet,  came  quickly  and  entered  the  rest-house.  But  you 
act  like  an  old  woman;  you  do  not  come  with  quickened  pace; 
although  your  robe  is  wet,  you  reck  not  of  it.  Would  you  act  thus 
if  an  elephant  or  a  horse  were  pursuing  you.'*"  "Friends,  robes  are 


Par.  53.]  Visdkhd's  Marriage  161 

not  hard  to  get;  indeed,  in  my  house,  robes  are  easy  to  get.  But 
women  are  like  goods  offered  for  sale;  if  a  woman  breaks  an  arm 
or  a  leg,  people  are  repelled  by  her  bodily  defects  and  spit  upon 
her.  That  is  why  I  came  slowly." 

Thought  those  men:  "Like  this  maiden  is  no  other  maiden  in 
this  Land  of  the  Rose-apple.  Such  as  she  is  in  beauty,  such  is  she 
also  in  speech.  She  knows  both  what  to  do  and  what  not  to  do ;  and 
as  she  knows,  she  talks."  And  they  threw  over  her  head  a  mass  of 
garlands.  Now  Visakha  thought :  "Before,  I  was  possessed  by  none 
other;  but  now  I  am  possessed  by  another."  Accordingly,  in  the 
manner  prescribed  by  the  rules  of  good  breeding,  she  seated  her- 
self on  the  ground.  And  as  she  sat  there,  they  drew  a  curtain 
around  her.  When  she  was  fully  clothed,  she  went  home,  accom- 
panied by  her  retinue  of  slave-maidens.  Those  emissaries  of  Treas- 
urer Migara  also  went  right  with  her  to  the  house  of  Treasurer 
Wealth- winner. 

"Friends,  in  what  village  do  you  live.?"  they  were  asked.  "We 
are  emissaries  of  Treasurer  Migara,  who  lives  in  the  city  of 
Savatthi,"  they  replied.  "Our  treasurer  heard,  'In  your  house 
there  is  a  maiden  who  has  reached  marriageable  age,'  and  sent  us." 
"Well  done,  friends !  your  treasurer  may  not  be  our  equal  in 
wealth,  but  he  is  our  equal  in  birth.  A  man  with  all  of  the  quali- 
fications is  hard  to  find !  You  tell  your  treasurer  that  we  accept." 
Hearing  his  reply,  they  went  to  Savatthi  and  gave  joy  and  de- 
light to  the  heart  of  Treasurer  Migara.  "Master,"  said  they,  "in 
Saketa,  in  the  house  of  Treasurer  Wealth-winner,  we  found  a 
maiden !"  Hearing  this.  Treasurer  Migara  was  delighted  in  heart. 
"In  the  house  of  a  great  personage,"  thought  he,  "we  have  found 
a  maiden !"  He  immediately  sent  word  to  Treasurer  Wealth- 
winner  :  "We  will  straightway  fetch  the  maiden ;  let  them  do  what 
they  should  do !"  Treasurer  Wealth-winner  sent  back  word  to  him : 
"This  is  no  hard  matter  for  us ;  but  let  the  treasurer  himself  do 
what  he  should  do  !" 

Migara  and  the  king  visit  Wealth-winner. 

Treasurer  Migara  went  to  the  king  of  Kosala  and  reported: 
"Sire,  I  have  a  wedding-festival  in  hand.  I  would  fetch  hither 
Visakha,  daughter  of  Treasurer  Wealth-winner,  to  be  the  wife  of 
your  slave  Punnavaddhana.  Give  me  leave  to  go  to  Saketa."  "Very 


162  Ten  Admonitions  [Chap.  IX. 

well,  great  treasurer.  But  ought  We  too  to  go?"  "Sire,  how  is  it 
possible  to  prevail  upon  personages  like  yourself  to  go .'"'  The  king, 
desiring  to  bestow  favor  on  the  son  of  a  great  personage,  assented, 
saying:  "Let  be,  great  treasurer,  I  will  go."  So  the  king  accom- 
panied Treasurer  Migara  to  the  city  of  Saketa. 

Treasurer  Wealth-winner,  hearing,  "Treasurer  Migara,  they 
say,  has  arrived  with  the  king  of  Kosala,"  went  forth  to  meet  the 
king,  and  escorted  him  to  his  own  residence.  Forthwith  he  ordered 
for  Pasenadi  Kosala  and  for  the  king's  force  and  for  Treasurer 
Migara  both  lodgings  and  requisites, — garlands,  perfumes,  gar- 
ments, and  the  rest.  "This,  this  man  must  have !  this,  this  woman 
must  have!" — of  himself,  he  knew  all.  Severally,  those  people 
thought :  "To  us  alone  the  treasurer  is  doing  honor !" 

NoAV  one  day  the  king  sent  a  message  to  Treasurer  Wealth- 
winner:  "It  is  impossible  for  the  treasurer  to  provide  maintenance 
and  support  for  us  for  a  very  long  time.  Let  him  appoint  a  time 
for  the  maiden's  departure."  The  treasurer  sent  a  message  to 
the  king :  "The  season  of  the  rains  has  now  arrived.  It  is  impossible 
for  four  months  to  travel.  Whatever  your  army  should  have,  that 
it  will  be  my  duty  to  provide.  Let  your  majesty  depart  only  at 
such  time  as  I  may  send  him." 

From  that  time  on,  the  city  of  Saketa  was  like  a  village  engaged 
in  perpetual  holiday.  Thus  three  months  passed.  But  the  great- 
creeper  parure  for  the  daughter  of  Treasurer  Wealth-winner  was 
not  yet  completed.  Now  his  foremen  came  and  reported:  "As  for 
aught  else,  nothing  is  lacking, — but  there  is  not  enough  firewood 
to  cook  food  for  the  army."  "Go,  fi'iends,  take  down  the  elephant- 
stables  and  horse-stables  and  cow-stables  and  cook  food."  The 
firewood  they  thus  obtained  and  used  for  cooking  lasted  only  a 
fortnight.  Then  they  reported  again :  "Master,  there  is  not  enough 
firewood."  "Friends,  at  this  time  of  year  it  is  impossible  to  procure 
firewood ;  therefore  open  the  storehouse  where  the  cloths  are  kept, 
take  all  the  coarse  cloths  you  can  find,  make  wicks  of  them,  soak 
them  in  a  vessel  of  oil,  and  thus  cook  the  food."  The  firewood  they 
thus  obtained  and  used  for  cooking  lasted  four  full  months. 

Wealth-winner  gives  VisaMid  Ten  Admonitions. 

Then  Treasurer  Wealth-winner,  knowing  that  his  daughter's 
great-creeper  parure  was  completed,  resolved :  "To-morrow  I  will 


Par.  53.]  Visakha's  Marriage  163 

send  my  daughter."  Accordingly,  causing  his  daughter  to  sit 
close  by,  he  admonished  her,  saying :  "Dear  girl,  thus  and  so  must 
a  woman  school  herself  to  behave  when  she  lives  in  her  husband's 
family."  That  other  treasurer,  Migara,  also,  lying  in  the  chamber 
immediately  adjoining,  heard  the  Admonitions  which  Treasurer 
Wealth-winner  addressed  to  his  daughter.  And  these  were  the  Ad- 
monitions which  Treasurer  Wealth-winner  addressed  to  his 
daughter  : 

"Dear  daughter,  so  long  as  you  live  in  the  house  of  your  father- 
in-law.  The  indoor  fire  is  not  to  be  carried  outside;  The  outdoor 
fire  is  not  to  be  carried  inside;  Give  only  to  him  that  gives;  Give 
not  to  him  that  gives  not;  Give  both  to  him  that  gives  and  to  him 
that  gives  not;  Sit  happily;  Eat  happily;  Sleep  happily;  Tend  the 
fire;  Honor  the  household  divinity  " 

These  Ten  Admonitions  did  Treasurer  Wealth-winner  give  to 
his  daughter.  On  the  following  day  he  assembled  all  the  guilds  of 
artisans,  and  standing  in  the  midst  of  the  king's  army,  appointed 
eight  householders  to  be  sponsors  for  his  daughter,  saying  to  them : 
"If  to  my  daughter,  in  the  place  to  which  she  is  going,  any  fault 
is  charged,  you  are  to  clear  her  of  the  charge." 

Wealth-mnner  sends  Visdkhd  away. 

Then  he  caused  his  daughter  to  be  adorned  with  her  great- 
creeper  parure  which  cost  nine  crores  of  treasure,  and  gave  her 
fifty-four  cartloads  of  treasure  to  buy  aromatic  powders  for  the 
bath,  five  hundred  slave-maidens  to  accompany  her  always,  five 
hundred  chariots  drawn  by  thoroughbreds,  of  all  manner  of 
presents  a  hundred  each;  and  having  so  done,  dismissed  the  king 
of  Kosala  and  Treasurer  Migara. 

When  it  was  time  for  his  daughter  to  go,  he  summoned  the  men 
who  had  charge  of  the  cattle-pens  and  said  to  them :  "Friends,  in 
the  place  to  which  my  daughter  is  going,  she  will  need  milch-cows 
to  provide  her  with  milk  to  drink,  and  bulls  to  yoke  to  her  con- 
veyances. Therefore  open  the  gates  of  the  cattle-pen  on  the  road 
which  my  daughter  takes,  allow  a  space  eight  leagues  in  width  to 
become  filled  with  a  multitude  of  cattle, — three-quarters  of  a 
league  distant  there  is  such-and-such  a  cave, — when  the  herd  of 
cattle  reaches  that  point,  give  a  signal  on  a  drum  and  close  the 


164  Ten  Admonitions  [Chap.  IX. 

gates  of  the  cattle-pen."  "Very  well,"  said  they,  promising  to  do 
as  the  treasurer  said.  And  so  they  did.  When  the  gates  were 
opened,  those  splendid  cattle  came  out  one  after  another ;  and  even 
after  the  gates  were  closed,  through  the  merit  of  Visakha,  both 
the  older  powerful  cattle  and  the  younger  untamed  cattle  leaped 
over  the  fence,  one  after  another,  and  struck  into  the  road. 

Visdkhd  enters  Sdvatthi. 

Now  when  Visakha  reached  the  gate  of  the  city,  she  thought  to 
herself:  "Shall  I  enter  the  city  sitting  in  a  closed  carriage  or 
standing  up  in  a  chariot?"  Thereupon  the  following  thought  oc- 
curred to  her:  "If  I  enter  the  city  sitting  in  a  closed  carriage, 
the  splendor  and  magnificence  of  my  great-creeper  parure  will  be 
visible  to  none."  Accordingly  she  entered  the  city  standing  up  in 
a  chariot,  showing  herself  to  all  the  city.  When  the  residents  of 
Savatthi  beheld  Visakha's  state,  they  said:  "This,  they  say,  is 
Visakha !  this  beauty  and  this  state  become  her  alone !"  Such  was 
the  splendid  state  in  which  she  entered  Treasurer  Migara's  house. 
On  the  very  day  of  her  arrival,  the  residents  of  the  entire  city 
said:  "Treasurer  Wealth-winner  did  us  high  honors  when  we 
visited  his  own  city."  Therefore  they  sent  presents  to  Visakha 
according  to  their  power  and  ability.  And  all  the  presents  which 
were  sent  to  her,  Visakha  distributed  among  the  various  families 
throughout  the  city. 

Visakha  offends  Migdra. 

Now  in  the  middle  of  the  night  Visakha's  thoroughbred  mare 
gave  birth  to  a  foal.  Visakha  went  to  the  stable  with  slave-maidens 
carrying  torches,  and  having  gone  there,  caused  the  mare  to  be 
bathed  with  hot  water  and  anointed  with  oil.  Having  so  done,  she 
went  back  to  her  own  quarters  again. 

For  seven  days  Treasurer  Migara  presided  over  the  festivities  in 
honor  of  his  son's  marriage,  and  during  all  this  time,  although 
the  Tathiigata  was  in  residence  at  a  neighboring  monastery,  he 
completely  ignored  him.  On  the  seventli  day,  liaving  first  provided 
seats,  he  filled  his  entire  residence  with  Naked  xVscetics,  and  sent 
the  following  message  to  Visakha:  "Let  my  daughter  come  and 
salute  the  Saints !" 


Par.  53.]  V is dkha's  Marriage  165 

Now  Visakha  had  attained  the  Fruit  of  Conversion  and  was  one 
of  the  Noble  Disciples,  and  was  therefore  pleased  and  delighted 
when  she  heard  the  word  "Saints."  But  when  she  entered  the  hall 
where  the  Naked  Ascetics  were  sitting,  and  looked  at  them,  she 
said :  "Such  as  they, — Saints  !  Why  did  my  father-in-law  summon 
me  into  the  presence  of  men  so  utterly  lacking  sense  of  modesty 
and  fear  of  sin.?  Fie !  fie  !"  Thus  reproaching  him,  she  went  back  to 
her  own  quarters  again. 

When  the  Naked  Ascetics  saw  Visakha,  they  all  reproached  the 
treasurer  with  one  accord,  saying:  "Householder,  could  you  get 
no  other  woman  .'^  Why  did  you  introduce  into  your  house  this 
disciple  of  the  monk  Gotama, — this  Jonah  of  Jonahs  .^^  Remove  her 
from  this  house  immediately !"  At  this  the  treasurer  thought :  "It 
is  impossible  for  me  to  remove  this  woman  from  the  house  on  the 
mere  say-so  of  these  ascetics ;  this  woman  is  the  daughter  of  a 
great  personage."  Accordingly  he  dismissed  the  Naked  Ascetics, 
saying:  "Teachers,  young  women  are  likely  to  do  all  sorts  of 
things,  whether  knowingly  or  unknowingly.  Hold  your  peace." 

The  treasurer  caused  a  high  couch  to  be  prepared  for  him, 
seated  himself  thereon,  took  a  golden  spoon,  and  waited  on  by 
Visakho-j  began  to  eat  rich  rice  porridge  flavored  with  honey  out 
of  a  golden  bowl.  At  this  time  a  certain  monk  who  was  going  his 
round  for  alms,  in  the  course  of  his  round,  came  to  the  door  of  the 
treasurer's  house.  When  Visakha  saw  him,  she  thought :  "It  is  not 
proper  for  me  to  announce  this  monk  to  my  father-in-law."  So 
she  stepped  aside,  that  her  father-in-law  might  not  see  the  Elder. 
But  that  simpleton,  although  he  saw  the  Elder,  pretended  not  to 
see  him,  and  with  bowed  head  kept  right  on  eating  rice  porridge. 
Visakha  perceived  within  herself :  "Although  my  father-in-law  sees 
the  Elder,  yet  he  makes  no  sign."  And  approaching  the  Elder,  she 
said :  "Pass  on,  Reverend  Sir.  My  father-in-law  is  eating  stale 
fare !" 

Now  up  to  this  time  Treasurer  Migara  had  resisted  the  impor- 
tunities of  the  Naked  Ascetics.  But  the  very  instant  he  heard 
Visakha  say :  "My  father-in-law  is  eating  stale  fare !"  he  removed 
his  hand  from  the  bowl  and  said :  "Take  away  this  rice  porridge 
and  remove  this  woman  from  this  house !  To  think  that  at  a  time 
of  festivity  she  should  accuse  such  a  man  as  I  am  of  eating  unclean 
food !"  But  in  this  house  all  the  slaves  and  servants  belonged  to 


166  Ten  Admonitions  [Chap.  IX. 

Visakha.  Who,  therefore,  would  take  hold  of  her  hands  and  her 
feet.''  There  was  no  one  who  dared  even  open  his  mouth! 

Visdkhd  is  tried  by  her  sponsors. 

Now  when  Visakha  heard  the  words  of  her  father-in-law,  she 
said :  "Dear  father-in-law,  this  is  no  sufficient  reason  why  I  should 
leave  your  house.  It  is  not  as  if  I  were  a  common  wench  brought 
hither  by  you  from  some  bathing-place  on  the  river.  Daughters 
who  have  mothers  and  fathers  living  do  not  leave  the  house  of  their 
father-in-law  for  any  such  reason  as  this.  Indeed,  for  this  very 
reason,  when  I  set  out  to  come  hither,  my  father  summoned  eight 
householders  and  placed  me  in  their  hands,  saying:  'If  against  my 
daughter  any  fault  is  charged,  j^ou  are  to  clear  her  of  the  charge.' 
Send,  therefore,  for  my  sponsors  and  let  them  clear  me  of  the 
charge." 

"What  she  says  is  right,"  said  the  treasurer.  Accordingly  he 
summoned  the  eight  householders  and  said  to  them:  "This  young 
woman,  even  before  the  seventh  day  was  over,  said  of  me  as  I  was 
sitting  in  the  house  of  festivity:  'My  father  is  eating  unclean 
food!'  "  "Is  what  he  says  true,  dear  girl.?" 

"Dear  friends,  it  is  of  course  true  that  my  father  did  desire  to 
eat  unclean  food.  But  I  did  not  say  that  he  had  so  done.  The  facts 
are  these:  A  certain  Elder  on  his  round  for  alms  stopped  at  the 
door  of  the  house.  My  father-in-law  here  was  eating  rich  rice 
porridge  and  did  not  notice  him.  For  that  reason  I  said  to  the 
Elder:  'Pass  on.  Reverend  Sir.  My  father-in-law  in  his  present 
state  of  existence  is  storing  up  no  new  merit,  but  is  consuming  old 
merit.'  That  is  all  I  said."  "Noble  sir,  here  is  no  fault.  Our 
daughter  talks  reason.  Why  do  you  get  angry.?" 

"Noble  sirs,  granted  that  there  is  no  fault  to  be  found  with  her 
for  that !  But  on  the  very  day  she  came,  without  so  much  as 
making  a  sign  to  my  son,  she  went  where  she  pleased."  "Is  what  he 
says  true,  dear  girl.?"  "Dear  friends,  I  did  not  go  where  I  pleased. 
The  facts  are  these :  My  thoroughbred  mare  had  given  birth  to  a 
foal  in  the  stable  attached  to  this  house.  I  thought  to  myself:  'It 
is  not  right  tliat  I  sliould  sit  here  and  make  no  sign.'  So  I  ordered 
my  slaves  to  procure  torches,  and  accompanied  by  my  slaves,  both 
male  and  female,  I  went  to  the  stable  and  saw  to  it  that  proper 


Par,  53.]  Visdkha's  Marriage  167 

care  was  given  to  the  mare."  "Noble  sir,  our  daughter  does  work 
in  your  house  which  is  not  fit  even  for  female  slaves  to  do.  What 
fault  do  you  find  in  this.?" 


Interpretation  of  the  Ten  Admonitions. 

"Noble  sirs,  let  it  be  granted  that  this  was  to  her  credit.  But 
on  the  day  when  she  came  hither,  her  father  gave  her  certain 
admonitions.  The  indoor  fire  is  not  to  be  carried  outside,  said  he. 
But  could  we  live  without  giving  fire  to  the  neighbors  who  live  on. 
both  sides  of  us?"  "Is  what  he  says  true,  dear  girl?"  "Dear 
friends,  my  father  was  not  speaking  with  reference  to  that  fire. 
What  he  meant  was  this :  If  your  mother-in-law  or  other  female 
members  of  the  household  engage  in  private  conversation  within 
the  house,  their  conversation  is  not  to  be  communicated  to  slaves, 
whether  female  or  male;  for  such  conversation  becomes  gossiped 
about  and  leads  to  quarrels.  It  was  with  reference  to  that  that  my 
father  spoke,  friends." 

"Noble  sirs,  let  this  be  as  it  may.  But  her  father  said  to  her: 
The  outdoor  fire  is  not  to  be  carried  inside.  Wlien  the  fire  in  the 
house  is  extinguished,  what  else  can  we  do  than  to  bring  fire  in 
from  without?"  "Is  what  he  says  true,  dear  girl?"  "Dear  friends, 
my  father  was  not  speaking  with  reference  to  that  fire.  What  he 
meant  was  this :  The  conversation  of  slaves  and  servants  is  not  to 
be  communicated  to  persons  within  the  household;  for  such  con- 
versation becomes  gossiped  about  and  leads  to  quarrels.  It  was 
with  reference  to  that  that  my  father  spoke,  dear  friends." 

Thus  she  was  found  free  from  fault  in  this  matter,  and  as  in 
this  so  also  in  the  others.  And  this  is  the  true  meaning  of  the  re- 
maining admonitions :  Give  only  to  him  that  gives  means  that  one 
should  give  only  to  those  that  return  borrowed  articles.  Give  not 
to  him  that  gives  not  means  that  one  should  not  give  to  those  who 
do  not  return  borrowed  articles.  Give  both  to  him  that  gives  and 
to  him  that  gives  not  means  that  when  poor  kinsfolk  and  friends 
seek  assistance,  one  should  give  to  them,  whether  or  not  they  are 
able  to  repay. 

Sit  happily  means  that  when  a  wife  sees  her  mother-in-law  or 
her  father-in-law,  she  should  stand  and  not  remain  sitting.  Eat 
happily  means  that  a  wife  should  not  eat  before  her  mother-in-law 


168  Ten  Admonitions  [Chap.  IX. 

and  her  father-in-law  and  her  husband  have  eaten.  She  should 
serve  them  first,  and  when  she  is  sure  that  they  have  had  all  they 
care  for,  then  and  not  until  then  may  she  herself  eat.  Sleep 
happily  means  that  a  wife  should  not  go  to  bed  before  her  mother- 
in-law  and  her  father-in-law  and  her  husband.  She  should  first  per- 
form the  major  and  minor  duties  which  she  owes  them,  and  when 
she  has  so  done,  then  she  may  herself  lie  down  to  sleep.  Tend  the 
fire  means  that  a  wife  should  regard  her  mother-in-law  and  her 
father-in-law  and  her  husband  as  a  flame  of  fire  or  as  a  serpent- 
king. 

"Granted  that  all  these  things  are  to  her  credit.  But  her  father 
bade  her  reverence  the  household  divinity.  What  is  the  meaning 
of  that.'"'  "Is  what  he  says  true,  dear  girl.'"'  "Yes,  dear  friends, 
my  father  said  that  also.  But  this  is  what  he  meant :  'Dear  girl, 
when  a  monk,  after  keeping  residence  in  a  remote  lodging,  comes 
to  the  door  of  your  house,  and  you  see  him,  you  must  first  give 
to  such  monks  of  whatever  food  there  is  in  the  house,  both  hard 
and  soft ;  only  after  you  have  so  done,  may  you  yourself  eat.'  " 
Then  said  those  sponsors  to  the  treasurer:  "But  you,  great  treas- 
urer, when  you  see  monks,  are  satisfied  to  give  them  nothing  at 
all.  Is  not  that  so.'*"  The  treasurer,  seeing  no  other  answer  to 
make,  sat  with  bowed  head. 

Then  the  householders  asked  him :  "Treasurer,  is  there  any 
other  fault  in  our  daughter.'"'  "Noble  sirs,  there  is  not."  "But 
why,  if  she  is  without  fault,  do  you  seek  without  cause  to  remove 
her  from  your  house .'^"  At  this  moment  Visakha  said:  "At  first, 
of  course,  it  would  not  have  been  proper  for  me  to  leave  at  the 
command  of  my  father-in-law.  But  on  the  day  when  I  came  hither 
my  father  entrusted  me  to  your  care  and  placed  me  in  your  hands, 
to  determine  my  guilt  or  my  innocence.  Now  it  is  my  pleasure  to 
go."  And  she  gave  orders  to  her  slaves  both  female  and  male: 
"Make  ready  my  carriages  and  other  conveyances." 

Visdkhd  as  almsgiver. 

Thereupon  the  treasurer  detained  those  householders  and  said 
to  Visakha:  "Dear  daughter-in-law,  it  was  through  ignorance  that 
I  spoke.  Pardon  me."  "Dear  father-in-law,  I  pardon  you  freely 
so  far  as  in  me  lies.  But  I  am  the  daughter  of  a  house  which  has 


Par.  53.]  Visakha's  Marriage  169 

firm  faith  in  the  Religion  of  the  Buddha,  and  we  cannot  exist 
without  the  Congregation  of  Monks.  If  I  may  be  permitted  to 
minister  to  the  Congregation  of  Monks  according  to  my  inchna- 
tion,  I  will  remain."  "Dear  daughter-in-law,  you  may  minister  to 
your  monks  to  your  heart's  content." 

Visakha  caused  an  invitation  to  be  sent  to  the  Possessor  of  the 
Ten  Forces,  and  on  the  following  day,  having  first  caused  seats 
to  be  prepared,  filled  the  house  with  the  Congregation  of  Monks 
presided  over  by  the  Buddha.  The  Naked  Ascetics  also,  hearing 
that  the  Teacher  had  gone  to  Treasurer  Migara's  house,  went 
there  and  seated  themselves  in  a  circle  about  the  house.  Visakha 
gave  Water  of  Donation,  and  sent  the  following  message  to  her 
father-in-law:  "The  feast  is  all  ready.  Let  my  father-in-law  come 
and  wait  upon  the  Possessor  of  the  Ten  Forces." 

Treasurer  Migara  listened  to  the  words  of  the  Naked  Ascetics 
and  said :  "Let  my  daughter  wait  upon  the  Supremely  Enlightened 
One."  Visakha  served  the  Possessor  of  the  Ten  Forces  with  food 
flavored  with  all  manner  of  choice  flavors,  and  when  the  meal  was 
over,  again  sent  word:  "Let  my  father-in-law  come  and  hear  the 
Possessor  of  the  Ten  Forces  preach  the  Doctrine."  Thought  the 
treasurer:  "Now  it  would  be  quite  unjustifiable  for  me  not  to  go ;" 
and  because  of  his  desire  to  hear  the  Doctrine,  set  out.  The  Naked 
Ascetics  said  to  him:  "If  you  are  determined  to  hear  the  monk 
Gotama,  sit  outside  of  a  curtain  and  hear  him."  And  preceding 
him,  they  drew  a  curtain  around.  Treasurer  Migara  went  and 
sat  outside  of  the  curtain. 

Said  the  Tathagata :  "You  may  sit  beyond  a  curtain  or  beyond 
a  wall  or  beyond  a  mountain,  or  you  may  sit  beyond  the  range  of 
mountains  that  encircles  the  earth;  I  am  the  Buddha,  and  can 
make  you  hear  my  voice."  And  as  though  laying  hold  of  a  mango- 
tree  laden  with  golden  fruit  by  the  trunk  and  shaking  it,  he 
preached  the  Doctrine.  At  the  conclusion  of  the  discourse  the 
Treasurer  was  established  in  the  Fruit  of  Conversion.  Raising  the 
curtain,  he  reverenced  the  feet  of  the  Teacher  with  the  Five  Rests, 
and  saying  to  Visakha,  "Under  the  Teacher,  you,  dear  girl,  are 
henceforth  my  mother,"  he  adopted  Visakha  as  his  own  mother. 
From  that  time  on  Visakha  was  known  as  Mother  of  Migara. 

One  day,  while  a  holiday  was  in  progress  in  the  city,  Visakha 
reflected,  "Within  the  city  is  no  goodness,"  and  accompanied  by 


170  Ten  Admonitions  [Chap.  IX. 

her  slave-maidens,  set  out  to  hear  the  Teacher  preach  the  Doc- 
trine. On  the  way  she  reflected,  "To  go  into  the  presence  of  the 
Buddhas  proudly  dressed  is  not  fitting."  So  she  took  off  her  great- 
creeper  parure  and  placed  it  in  the  hands  of  a  slave-maiden.  Then 
she  approached  the  Teacher,  saluted  him,  and  sat  down  on  one 
side.  The  Teacher  preached  the  Doctrine.  Visakha,  at  the  con- 
clusion of  the  discourse,  saluted  the  Possessor  of  the  Ten  Forces 
and  set  out  in  the  direction  of  the  city. 

Now  as  that  female  slave  walked  along,  she  remembered  that 
she  had  left  somewhere  or  other  the  parure  she  received  from  her 
mistress,  and  turned  back  for  the  parure.  Thereupon  Visakha 
asked  her:  "But  where  did  you  leave  it,'"'  "In  the  apartment  of 
the  Perfumed  Chamber,  my  lady."  "Very  well, — go  and  get  it. 
From  the  moment  it  was  left  in  the  apartment  of  the  Perfumed 
Chamber,  it  has  been  improper  for  us  to  take  it  back  again.  There- 
fore we  will  do  penance  by  giving  it  up.  But  if  it  be  left  there,  it 
will  be  an  obstacle  to  the  Noble  Monks." 

On  the  following  day  the  Teacher,  accompanied  by  the  Con- 
gregation of  Monks,  came  to  the  door  of  Visakha's  house.  Now  in 
her  house  seats  were  always  ready.  Visakha  took  the  Teacher's 
bowl,  escorted  the  Teacher  into  the  house,  and  caused  him  to  sit 
down  on  a  seat  already  prepared.  W^hen  the  Teacher  had  finished 
his  meal,  Visakha  brought  that  parure,  laid  it  at  the  Teacher's 
feet,  and  said:  "This,  Reverend  Sir,  I  give  to  you."  The  Teacher 
declined  to  accept  it,  saying:  "Adornment  is  not  permitted  to 
monks."  "I  know,  Reverend  Sir ;  but  I  will  have  this  appraised  and 
with  the  money  I  will  have  built  a  Perfumed  Chamber  as  a  place 
of  residence  for  3'ou,"  Then  the  Teacher  graciously  accepted. 

Visakha  had  the  parure  appraised,  and  with  the  nine  crores  of 
treasure  it  brought  caused  a  Perfumed  Chamber  to  be  erected  as 
a  place  of  residence  for  the  Tatliagata  in  Pubbfirama  monastery, 
— a  monastery  adorned  with  a  thousand  cells.  Now  in  the  morning 
Visakha's  residence  was  ablaze  with  yellow  robes,  a  very  eddy  of 
the  breezes  of  holy  men.  As  in  the  house  of  Anathapindika,  so  also 
in  her  house,  all  the  foods  were  always  ready.  In  the  morning  she 
did  honor  to  the  Congregation  of  IMonks  witli  worldly  gifts;  after 
breakfast,  causing  both  the  medicaments  and  the  eight  varieties 
of  drinks  to  be  carried  with  her,  slie  went  to  the  monastery  and 


Par.  54.]  Kappina  and  Anojd  ITl 

gave  alms   to   the   Congregation   of  Monks.   Afterwards,  having 
heard  the  Teacher  preach  the  Doctrine,  she  went  home. 

Subsequently,  when  the  Teacher  assigned  the  female  lay  dis- 
ciples, one  after  another,  to  their  respective  positions  of  preemi- 
nence, he  assigned  Visakha  Mother  of  Migara  to  the  rank  of 
foremost  of  alms  givers. 


54.  KING  KAPPINA  AND  QUEEN  ANOJA 

Behold  the  fruit  of  faith! 
Anguttara  Commentary  193-195. 

Even  before  the  rebirth  of  our  Teacher,  this  Kappina  obtained 
a  new  conception  in  a  frontier  district,  in  a  city  named  Kukku- 
tavati,  in  the  king's  household.  The  rest  of  the  men  [who  in  a 
previous  state  of  existence  had  been  his  companions  and  had  per- 
formed works  of  merit  with  him]  were  reborn  in  that  same  city  in 
the  families  of  ministers  of  the  king.  Prince  Kappina  on  the  death 
of  his  father  raised  the  royal  parasol  and  became  known  as  King 
Kappina  the  Great. 

The  woman  who  had  been  the  mistress  of  his  household  in  the 
former  state  of  existence  in  which  each  had  performed  woi*ks  of 
merit,  was  reborn  in  a  royal  household  of  birth  equal  to  his  own, 
and  became  the  chief  consort  of  King  Kappina  the  Great.  And 
because  her  body  was  of  the  hue  of  the  anoja  flower,  she  became 
known  as  Queen  Anoja. 

King  Kappina  the  Great  was  versed  in  sacred  lore  and  right 
conduct.  He  rose  very  early  in  the  morning  and  despatched  mes- 
sengers quickly  from  the  four  gates,  saying:  "Where  you  en- 
counter men  who  have  heard  much  sacred  lore,  who  retain  what 
sacred  lore  they  have  heard,  there  turn  back  and  bring  me  word." 

Now  at  that  time  our  Teacher,  reborn  in  the  world  of  men,  was 
in  residence  near  Savatthi.  At  that  time  traders  residing  in  the 
city  of  Savatthi,  obtaining  in  Savatthi  goods  confiscated  from 
rebels,  went  to  the  city  of  Kukkutavati.  Having  put  away  their 
goods,  they  went  to  the  gate  of  the  king's  residence,  carrying 
presents  in  their  hands,  with  the  thought  in  their  minds :  "We  will 
see  the  king."  "The  king  has  gone  to  the  pleasure-garden."  Hear- 


172  Behold  tJie  Fruit  of  Faith!  [Chap.  IX. 

ing  this,  they  went  to  the  pleasure-garden,  stopped  at  the  gate, 
and  announced  themselves  to  the  guard. 

When  announcement  was  made  to  the  king,  he  caused  them  to 
be  summoned.  They  handed  over  their  presents,  bowed,  and  stood 
upright.  "Friends,  whence  come  you.?"  asked  he.  "From  Savatthi, 
your  majest3\"  "I  trust  that  your  country  is  well  supplied  with 
food,  and  that  you  have  a  righteous  ruler  for  your  king."  "Yes, 
your  majesty."  "But  is  there  an}'  news  at  all  in  your  district.'*" 
"There  is,  your  majesty.  But  we  cannot  tell  it  with  leavings  of 
food  in  our  mouths." 

The  king  caused  water  to  be  given  them  in  a  golden  ewer.  They 
rinsed  out  their  mouths,  faced  in  the  direction  of  the  Possessor  of 
the  Ten  Forces,  stretched  out  their  joined  hands  towards  him  in 
an  attitude  of  reverent  salutation,  and  said:  "Your  majesty,  in 
our  district  has  arisen  the  Jewel  of  the  Buddha !"  The  very  instant 
the  king  heard  that  word,  J03'  sprang  up  within  him,  suffusing 
his  entire  body.  Then  he  said:  "Friends,  do  you  say  'The 
Buddha'.?"  "Your  majesty,  we  say  'The  Buddha.'  "  Three  times 
in  this  manner  did  he  cause  them  to  say  the  word.  (The  word 
"Buddha"  is  not  to  be  compassed;  it  was  impossible  for  him  to 
compass  it.) 

In  that  very  word  reposing  faith,  he  caused  them  to  be  given  a 
hundred  thousand  pieces  of  money.  "What  news  have  you  besides.?" 
asked  he.  "Your  majesty,  the  Jewel  of  the  Doctrine  has  arisen!" 
Hearing  that  word  also,  in  the  same  manner  did  he  obtain  assur- 
ance from  them  three  times,  and  give  them  another  thousand  pieces 
of  money  besides.  Again  he  asked:  "What  other  news  have  you.?" 
"The  Jewel  of  the  Order,  your  majesty,  has  arisen!"  Hearing  that 
word  also,  in  the  same  manner  did  he  obtain  assurance  from  them 
three  times,  and  give  them  another  thousand  pieces  of  money 
besides. 

Having  so  done,  the  king  scratched  on  a  palm-leaf  a  record  of 
his  gifts,  and  despatched  them  with  it,  saying:  "Friends,  go  to  the 
queen."  When  the}'  had  gone,  he  asked  his  ministers :  "Friends, 
the  Buddha  has  arisen  in  the  world.  What  do  you  intend  to  do.?" 
"Your  majesty,  what  do  you  desire  to  do.?"  "I  intend  to  retire 
from  the  world  and  become  a  monk."  "We  also  will  retire  from  the 
world  and  become  monks."  They  all,  with  never  a  look  at  either 


Par.  54.]  Kappina  and  Anojd  173 

house  or  treasure,  retired  from  the  world  on  the  very  same  horses 
on  which  they  were  mounted. 

The  dealers  went  to  Queen  Anoja  and  showed  her  the  palm-leaf. 
She  read  it  and  asked:  "Friends,  the  king  has  given  you  many 
pieces  of  money.  What  did  you  do?"  "Your  majesty,  we  brought 
him  news  which  pleased  him."  "Friends,  may  we  also  ask  to  hear 
you.''"  "You  may,  your  majesty.  But  we  cannot  speak  with  leav- 
ings of  food  in  our  mouths."  She  caused  them  to  be  given  water  in 
a  golden  ewer.  They  rinsed  out  their  mouths  and  made  announce- 
ment to  the  queen  in  precisely  the  same  terms  as  they  had  made 
announcement  to  the  king.  In  her  case  also,  when  she  heard  the 
words,  delight  sprang  up  within  her.  Just  as  had  the  king,  so  also 
did  the  queen,  at  each  several  word,  obtain  assurance  from  them 
three  times,  and  each  time  she  received  assurance  from  them,  give 
them  three  hundred  thousand  pieces  of  money,  making  nine  hun- 
dred thousand  pieces  of  money  in  all.  Thus  the  dealers  received  in 
all  twelve  hundred  thousand  pieces  of  money. 

Then  she  asked  them:  "The  king, — where  is  he,  friends.?"  "Your 
majesty,  he  has  retired  from  the  world  with  the  intention  of  becom- 
ing a  monk."  Then  she  dismissed  them,  saying :  "Very  well,  friends, 
you  may  go."  Having  summoned  the  wives  of  the  ministers  in  the 
retinue  of  the  king,  she  asked :  "Ladies,  do  you  know  where  your 
husbands  went.?"  "We  know,  your  majesty.  They  went  with  the 
king  to  divert  themselves  in  the  pleasure-garden."  "True,  ladies, 
so  they  did.  But  when  they  got  there,  they  heard:  'The  Buddha 
has  arisen ;  the  Doctrine  has  arisen ;  the  Order  has  arisen ;'  and 
hearing,  they  resolved :  'We  will  retire  from  the  world  and  become 
monks  under  the  Possessor  of  the  Ten  Forces ;'  and  resolving,  they 
departed.  What  do  you  intend  to  do.?"  "But,  your  majesty,  what 
do  you  desire  to  do.?"  "I  intend  to  retire  from  the  world  and 
become  a  nun.  The  vomit  they  have  vomited  I  will  not  put  on  the 
tip  of  my  tongue."  "If  that  is  the  case,  we  also  will  retire  from  the 
world  and  become  nuns."  And  causing  chariots  to  be  harnessed, 
they  retired  from  the  world. 

Now  the  king,  with  his  thousand  ministers,  reached  the  bank  of 
the  Ganges.  But  at  this  time  the  Ganges  was  full.  When  the  king 
saw  this,  he  said:  "The  Ganges  here  is  full,  and  swarms  with 
savage  fish.  Moreover  we  have  with  us  no  slaves  or  men  to  make 
boats  or  rafts  for  us.  But  of  this  Teacher  the  virtues  extend  from 


174  Belwld  the  Fruit  of  Faith!  [Chap.  IX. 

the  Avici  Hell  beneath  to  the  Peak  of  Existence  above.  If  this 
Teacher  be  the  Supremely  Enlightened  Buddha,  may  not  the  tips 
of  the  hoofs  of  these  horses  be  wetted !" 

They  caused  the  horses  to  spring  forward  on  the  surface  of  the 
"water.  Of  not  a  single  horse  was  so  much  as  the  tip  of  the  hoof 
wetted.  On  a  king's  highway  proceeding,  as  it  were,  they  went  to 
the  far  shore.  Farther  on  they  reached  another  river.  There, 
was  needed  no  other  Act  of  Truth.  B}^  that  same  Act  of  Truth, 
that  river  also, — half  a  league  in  breadth,  did  they  cross  over. 
Then  they  reached  the  third  river,  the  mighty  river  Candabhaga. 
That  river  also,  by  that  same  Act  of  Truth,  did  they  cross  over. 

Now  the  Teacher,  arising  on  that  day  at  time  of  dawn  from  a 
Trance  of  Great  Compassion,  and  surveying  the  world,  saw  the 
following:  "To-day  Kappina  the  Great,  having  renounced  a  king- 
dom three  hundred  leagues  in  extent,  with  a  retinue  of  a  thousand 
ministers,  will  come  hither  to  retire  from  the  world  and  become  a 
monk  under  me."  And  he  reflected :  "It  is  proper  that  We  should 
go  forth  to  meet  them." 

Accordingly,  very  early  in  the  morning,  having  made  his  toilet, 
accompanied  by  the  Congregation  of  Monks,  he  made  his  round 
for  alms  in  Savatthi;  and  when  he  had  returned  from  his  round 
for  alms  and  had  eaten  his  breakfast,  he  himself,  alone,  taking 
bowl  and  robe,  flew  up  into  the  air.  Now  on  Candabhaga's  bank,  at 
a  spot  facing  the  landing-place  on  the  river  where  they  crossed, 
stood  a  giant  banyan  tree.  There  he  sat  down  cross-legged,  setting 
INIindfulness  before  him,  diffusing  the  six-colored  rays  of  a  Buddha. 

The  king  and  his  thousand  ministers,  crossing  at  that  landing- 
place,  beheld  the  rays  of  a  Buddha  darting  hither  and  thither, 
saw  the  countenance  of  a  Buddha  resplendent  with  the  glory  of 
the  full  moon,  and  at  the  mere  seeing,  said :  "This  must  certainly 
be  the  Teacher  for  whose  sake  we  have  retired  from  the  world." 
And  coming  to  the  landing-place,  and  bowing  low  all  the  way  from 
the  place  where  they  had  seen  what  they  saw,  until  they  reached 
the  Candabhaga,  they  saluted  the  Teacher.  The  king,  grasping  the 
Teacher  by  the  ankles,  saluted  him,  and  seated  himself  on  one  side, 
surrounded  by  his  thousand  ministers. 

The  Teacher  preached  the  Doctrine  to  them.  At  the  conclusion 
of  the  discourse  every  one  of  them  became  established  in  Saint- 
hood, and   asked  the  Teacher  for  admission  to  the  Order.   The 


Par.  54.]  Kappina  and  Anojd  175 

Teacher,  knowing,  "Because  in  a  previous  state  of  existence  these 
men  gave  the  gift  of  robes,  therefore  they  have  come  with  robes 
of  their  own,"  stretched  forth  his  arm,  whose  hue  was  as  the  hue 
of  gold,  and  said :  "Come,  monks  !  Well  taught  is  the  Doctrine. 
Lead  the  Holy  Life  to  the  utter  extinction  of  suffering."  And  this 
formula  sufficed  both  for  the  admission  and  for  the  full  profession 
of  these  Venerablcs  as  members  of  the  Order.  Elders  of  a  hundred 
years'  residence,  as  it  were,  they  surrounded  the  Teacher. 

Queen  Anoja,  surrounded  b^^  a  thousand  chariots,  reaching  the 
bank  of  the  Ganges  and  seeing  no  boat  or  raft  brought  for  the 
king,  by  her  own  intuition  concluded :  "The  king  must  have  crossed 
by  making  an  Act  of  Truth.  But  this  Teacher  was  reborn  not  for 
them  alone.  If  this  Teacher  be  the  Supremely  Enlightened  Buddha, 
may  our  chariots  not  sink  into  the  water!" 

She  caused  the  chai'iots  to  spring  forward  on  the  surface  of  the 
water.  Of  the  chariots  not  even  so  much  as  the  outer  rims  of  the 
wheels  was  wetted.  The  second  river  also,  the  third  river  also,  she 
crossed  by  the  same  Act  of  Truth.  Even  in  the  act  of  crossing, 
she  saw  the  Teacher  at  the  foot  of  the  banyan  tree. 

As  for  the  Teacher,  he  reflected:  "If  these  women  see  their  own 
husbands,  desire  and  lust  will  spring  up  within  them,  and  will  im- 
pede their  attainment  of  the  Paths  and  the  Finiits.  It  shall  not 
have  the  power  so  to  do !"  And  he  so  wrought  that  they  saw  not 
each  other. 

All  of  those  women,  on  leaving  the  landing-place,  saluted  the 
Possessor  of  the  Ten  Forces  and  sat  down.  The  Teacher  preached 
the  Truth  to  them.  At  the  conclusion  of  the  discourse,  all  of  those 
women  were  established  in  the  Fruit  of  Conversion,  and  wives  and 
husbands  saw  each  other.  The  Teacher  thought :  "Let  Uppala- 
vanna  come  nigh !"  The  nun  Uppalavanna  approached,  made  nuns 
of  all  those  women,  and  presented  them.  They  then  went  to  the 
Nuns'  Convent.  The  Teacher  took  the  Congregation  of  Monks  and 
went  through  the  air  to  Jetavana. 

Now  this  Elder  Kappina  the  Great,  knowing  that  his  own  duty 
had  come  to  a  head,  living  at  ease,  passing  his  time  in  the  Bliss 
of  the  Attainment  of  the  Fruits,  dwelling  in  the  forest,  dwelling  at 
the  foot  of  a  tree,  dwelling  in  solitude,  constantly  breathed  forth 
the  utterance :  "O  happiness !  O  happiness !"  The  monks  began  to 
talk  about  this,  saying:  "It  is  because  Elder  Kappina  remembers 


176  Beauty  Is  But  Skin-deep  [Chap.  IX. 

the  happiness  he  enjoyed  as  a  king,  that  he  breathes  forth  this 
utterance." 

They  reported  the  matter  to  the  Tathagata.  Said  the  Tatha- 
gata:  "It  is  with  reference  to  the  Bliss  of  the  Paths,  with  refer- 
ence to  the  Bliss  of  the  Fruits,  that  my  son  breathes  forth  this 
utterance."  So  saying,  he  recited  the  following  stanza  found  in 
the  Dhammapada : 

He  that  drinks  Truth  sleeps  happily,  with  mind  serene ; 

In  Truth  made  known  by  holy  men,  ever  delights  the  wise  man. 

55.  KHEMA 

Beauty  is  but  skin-deep. 

Anguttara  Commentary  205-206. 

Khema  was  reborn  in  the  kingdom  of  Madda,  in  the  city  of 
Sagala,  in  the  household  of  the  king.  The  hue  of  her  body  was  the 
yellow  of  fine  gold.  But  when  she  grew  up,  she  married  King 
Bimbisara  and  went  to  live  in  the  royal  household  at  Rajagaha. 
Near  Rajagaha,  at  Veluvana,  resided  the  Tathagata.  Thought 
Khema:  "The  Teacher,  they  say,  finds  fault  with  beauty  of  form." 
And  becoming  intoxicated  with  the  intoxication  of  her  beauty  of 
form,  fearing,  "In  my  own  case  also  he  may  find  fault  with  beauty 
of  form,"  she  refrained  from  going  to  see  the  Possessor  of  the  Ten 
Forces. 

Thought  the  king:  "I  am  the  principal  supporter  of  the 
Teacher.  Yet  the  principal  consort  of  a  Noble  Disciple  like  me 
refrains  from  going  to  see  the  Possessor  of  the  Ten  Forces."  Ac- 
cordingly he  had  court-poets  compose  songs  in  praise  of  Veluvana 
Gardens,  and  said  to  them:  "Sing  them  within  hearing  of  Queen 
Khema."  The  queen,  hearing  the  praises  of  the  Gardens,  became 
desirous  of  going,  and  asked  permission  of  the  king.  Said  the  king: 
"Go  to  the  Gardens.  But  unless  you  see  the  Teacher,  you  shall  not 
have  the  privilege  of  returning."  The  queen,  making  no  reply  to 
the  king,  started  out  on  the  road.  The  king  said  to  the  men  who 
acted  as  her  escort:  "If  the  queen,  on  her  way  back  from  the 
Gardens,  sees  the  Possessor  of  the  Ten  Forces, — well  and  good ! 
If,  however,  she  does  not  see  him,  force  her  to  see  him  bj^  royal 
authority." 


Par.  55.]  Khemd  177 

Now  that  queen,  having  spent  the  daytime  walking  about  the 
Gardens,  started  to  return  without  so  much  as  having  seen  the 
Possessor  of  the  Ten  Forces.  But  the  king's  men,  despite  her  un- 
willingness, conducted  her  to  the  Teacher.  The  Teacher,  seeing 
her  coming,  put  forth  his  magical  power  and  created  a  single 
celestial  nymph,  causing  the  nymph,  as  it  were,  to  take  a  palm- 
leaf  fan  and  fan  him. 

Queen  Khema,  seeing  her,  thought :  "Alas,  my  vanity  has  ruined 
me !  To  think  that  such  women  as  these,  the  very  counterparts  of 
celestial  nymphs,  stand  close  beside  the  Possessor  of  the  Ten 
Forces !  I  am  not  worthy  so  much  as  to  wait  upon  these  women. 
In  my  vanity,  for  no  reason  at  all,  I  have  permitted  evil  thoughts 
to  ruin  me."  Spell-bound,  she  stood  gazing  only  at  that  woman. 

Now  as  she  gazed,  that  woman,  by  command  of  the  Tathagata, 
passed  from  youth  to  middle  age,  as  it  were ;  and  from  middle  age 
to  old  age,  as  it  were;  standing  there  with  wrinkled  skin,  faded 
hair,  and  teeth  broken  and  loose.  Finally,  even  as  the  queen  gazed, 
that  woman  collapsed  and  fell  to  the  ground,  fan  and  all. 

Then  Khema,  as  that  object,  through  the  accumulation  of 
causes  in  previous  states  of  existence,  came  within  range  of  her 
mental  vision,  thought  thus :  "Even  a  body  like  this, — so  beautiful 
as  this, — comes  finally  to  destruction.  My  body  also  will  of  neces- 
sity come  to  just  such  an  end."  Now  the  instant  her  thoughts  took 
this  turn,  the  Teacher  recited  the  following  stanza  found  in  the 
Dhammapada : 

They  that  are  reddened  with  lust  follow  a  stream. 

As  a  spider  a  web^  made  by  self. 

Cleaving  this,  men  go  forth  from  the  world, 

Free  from  Craving,  renouncing  the  Pleasures  of  Sense. 

At  the  conclusion  of  the  stanza,  standing  just  where  she  had 
planted  her  feet,  she  attained  Sainthood  together  with  the  [Four] 
Analytical  Powers. 

Now  a  lay  person  who  attains  Sainthood  must  on  that  very  day 
either  pass  into  Nibbana  or  adopt  the  religious  life.  So  Queen 
Khema,  knowing  the  direction  her  own  Aggregates  of  Life  were 
taking,  resolved:  "I  will  ask  for  myself  permission  to  adopt  the 
religious  life."  Accordingly  she  bowed  to  the  Teacher,  went  to  the 
king's  residence,  and  stood  there  without  so  much  as  saluting  the 


178  Beauty  Is  But  Skin-deep  [Chap.  IX. 

king.  The  king,  even  by  her  manner  of  acting,  knew:  "She  must 
have  attained  the  Noble  Estate  of  Sainthood."  So  he  said  to  her : 
"O  queen,  did  you  go  to  see  the  Teacher.?"  "Great  king,  the  seeing 
you  have  seen  is  the  merest  trifle.  I,  however,  have  seen  the  Pos- 
sessor of  the  Ten  Forces  and  have  seen  him  well !  Give  me  per- 
mission to  adopt  the  religious  life."  "Very  well,"  said  the  king  in 
assent.  He  sent  her  to  the  Nuns'  Convent  and  had  her  admitted 
to  the  Order.  Now  because  Khema,  even  as  a  lay  person,  attained 
Sainthood,  she  became  renowned  for  her  great  wisdom.  So  much 
for  the  story. 

But  subsequently  the  Teacher,  sitting  in  Jetavana  monastery, 
assigning  to  the  nuns  their  respective  ranks,  assigned  to  the  nun 
Khema  the  rank  of  foremost  of  those  who  possess  great  xmsdom. 


56.  NANDA 

Beauty  is  hut  skin-deep. 
Anguttara  Commentary  217-218. 

Nanda  was  reborn,  even  before  the  rebirth  of  our  Teacher,  as 
the  daughter  of  Maha  Pajapati  Gotaml.  She  was  also  called 
Beauty-Nanda,  Rupa-Nanda.  Later  on,  because  of  her  surpassing 
beauty,  she  became  known  as  Belle-of-the-land,  Janapada-Kalyani. 

Our  Possessor  of  Ten  Forces,  having  attained  Enlightenment, 
came  in  due  course  to  Kapila  City,  made  monks  of  Nanda  and 
Rahula,  and  departed.  After  the  great  king  Suddhodana  had 
passed  into  Nibbana,  Maha  Pajapati  Gotami  and  Mother  of 
Rahula  retired  from  the  world  and  became  nuns  under  the  Teacher. 

From  the  time  when  Maha  Pajapati  Gotami  and  Mother  of 
Rahula  retired  from  the  world,  Nanda  reflected:  "What  is  tliere 
for  me  to  do  here.?"  So  she  went  to  Maha  Pajapati  Gotami  and 
became  a  nun. 

From  the  day  when  she  retired  from  the  world,  she  heard  it 
said:  "The  Teacher  finds  fault  with  beauty  of  form."  Therefore 
she  refrained  from  going  to  wait  upon  the  Teacher.  When  the  time 
came  for  the  Teacher  to  give  admonition,  she  sent  another  in  her 
place,  saying:  "Fetch  me  home  the  admonition." 

The  Teacher,  knowing  that  she  was  intoxicated  solely  with  the 
intoxication  of  her  own  beauty,  said :  "Let  her  come  all  by  herself 


Par.  56.1  Nandd  179 

and  get  her  own  admonition.  No  nun  is  permitted  to  send  any 
other  person  in  her  place." 

So  Rupa-Nanda,  seeing  no  other  way,  much  against  her  will, 
went  to  receive  admonition.  The  Teacher,  by  reason  of  her  con- 
duct, put  forth  his  magical  power  and  created  a  single  woman's 
form,  causing  her  to  take  a  palm-leaf  fan  and  fan  him,  as  it  were. 
Rupa-Nanda,  seeing  that  form,  thought:  "I  have  refrained  from 
coming  here  because  I  have  been  intoxicated  with  my  own  beauty, 
■ — and  for  no  reason  at  all!  To  think  that  such  women  as  these 
walk  on  terms  of  intimacy  with  the  Teacher!  I  have  refrained 
from  coming  here  all  this  time,  not  knowing  that  my  own  beauty 
does  not  come  within  a  fractional  part  of  their  beauty !"  Spell- 
bound by  that  very  woman,  she  stood  gazing  at  her.  Because  of 
her  accumulation  of  causes  in  previous  states  of  existence,  the 
Teacher  recited  to  her  the  following  stanza  found  in  the  Dhamma- 
pada  : 

It  is  a  city  made  of  bones,  plastered  with  flesh  and  blood, 
Where  lodge  old  age  and  death  and  pride  and  deceit. 

Also  the  Sutta: 

Whether  walking  or  standing  or  sitting  or  lying. 

Whoever  thinks  thoughts  of  evil,  of  the  world, 

A  blind  path  has  such  a  monk  entered, 

By  confusion  is  he  confounded; 

Unable  is  such  a  monk  to  attain  Supreme  Enlightenment. 

Whoever,  walking  or  standing  or  sitting  or  lying, 

Tranquillizes  his  thoughts, 

Delights  in  tranquillity  of  thought, 

Able  is  such  a  monk  to  attain  Supreme  Enlightenment. 

Rupa-Nanda,  concentrating  her  attention  on  that  very  form, 
set  going  the  mental  reflex  of  Decay  and  Death  and  attained 
Sainthood. 


CHAPTER  X 
PARABLES  FROM  EARLY  SOURCES  ON  THE  DOCTRINE 

57.  THE  SOWER 

Like  the  soil  of  the  earth  is  the  soil  of  the  lieart. 
Samyutta  iv.  315-317. 

On  a  certain  occasion,  while  the  Exalted  One  was  in  residence  at 
Nalanda,  he  addressed  the  village  headman  Asibandhakaputta  as  fol- 
lows: 

Hebe  a  farmer,  a  householder,  has  three  fields :  one  field  with  good 
soil,  one  field  with  fair  soil,  one  field  with  poor  soil, — a  jungle, 
barren  land  impregnated  with  salt,  poor  land.  What  think  you  of 
this,  headman.?  Suppose  that  farmer,  that  householder,  wished 
to  sow  seed, — where  would  he  sow  seed  first, — in  that  field  with 
good  soil.?  or  in  that  field  with  fair  soil.?  or  in  that  field  with 
poor  soil, — that  jungle,  that  barren  land  impregnated  with  salt, 
that  poor  land.? 

Reverend  Sir,  if  that  farmer,  that  householder,  wished  to  sow 
seed,  he  would  first  sow  seed  in  that  field  with  good  soil;  having 
sown  seed  there,  he  would  sow  seed  in  that  field  with  fair  soil; 
having  sown  seed  there,  he  would  sow  no  seed  at  all  in  that  field  with 
poor  soil, — that  jungle,  that  barren  land  impregnated  with  salt, 
that  poor  land.  Why  not.?  "Without  fail,  I  must  have  feed  for 
my  cattle !" 

Headman,  just  like  that  field  with  good  soil  are  my  monks  and 
nuns.  To  them  I  preach  the  Doctrine,  beautiful  in  its  beginning, 
beautiful  in  its  middle,  beautiful  in  its  end,  in  the  spirit  and  in 
the  letter;  I  proclaim  the  Holy  Life  in  all  its  fulness,  in  all  its 
purity..  Why  is  this.?  Because,  headman,  they  abide  possessing 
Me  for  an  island  of  retirement.  Me  for  a  cave  of  retreat,  Me  for 
an  armor  of  defense.  Me  for  a  refuge. 

Headman,  just  like  that  field  with  fair  soil  are  my  lay  disciples, 
both  male  and  female.  To  them  I  preach  the  Doctrine,  beautiful 


Par.  57.]  The  Sower  181 

in  its  beginning,  beautiful  in  its  middle,  beautiful  in  its  end,  in 
the  spirit  and  in  the  letter;  I  proclaim  the  Holy  Life  in  all  its 
fulness,  in  all  its  purity.  Why  is  this?  Because,  headman,  they 
abide  possessing  Me  for  an  island  of  retirement,  Me  for  a  cave  of 
retreat.  Me  for  an  armor  of  defense,  Me  for  a  refuge. 

Headman,  just  like  that  field  with  poor  soil, — that  jungle,  that 
barren  land  impregnated  with  salt,  that  poor  land,  are  the  teachers 
of  perverse  doctrines  opposed  to  me, — the  wandering  ascetics, 
both  monks  and  Brahmans.  To  them  I  preach  the  Doctrine,  beau- 
tiful in  its  beginning,  beautiful  in  its  middle,  beautiful  in  its  end, 
in  the  spirit  and  in  the  letter;  I  proclaim  the  Holy  Life  in  all  its 
fulness,  in  aU  its  purity.  Why  is  this.?  "Perhaps,  were  they  to 
know  but  a  single  word,  it  would  be  to  their  welfare  and  happiness 
for  a  long  time  to  come !" 

Suppose,  headman,  a  man  had  three  waterpots :  one  waterpot 
uncracked,  unattractive,  not  very  attractive;  one  waterpot  un- 
cracked,  attractive,  very  attractive;  one  waterpot  cracked,  at- 
tractive, very  attractive.  What  think  you  of  this,  headman.? 
Suppose  that  man  wished  to  put  water  into  a  waterpot, — into 
which  waterpot  would  he  put  it  first, — into  that  waterpot  which 
was  uncracked,  unattractive,  not  very  attractive.?  or  into  that 
waterpot  which  was  uncracked,  attractive,  very  attractive.?  or 
into  that  waterpot  which  was  cracked,  attractive,  very  attractive.? 

Reverend  Sir,  if  that  man  wished  to  put  water  into  a  waterpot, 
he  would  first  put  it  into  that  waterpot  which  was  uncracked,  un- 
attractive, not  very  attractive ;  having  put  water  into  that  water- 
pot, he  would  put  water  into  that  waterpot  which  was  uncracked, 
attractive,  very  attractive ;  having  put  water  into  that  waterpot, 
he  would  put  no  water  at  all  into  that  third  waterpot.  Why  not.? 
"Without  fail,  I  must  have  water  to  wash  my  utensils !" 

Headman,  just  like  that  waterpot  which  is  uncracked,  unat- 
tractive, not  very  attractive,  are  my  monks  and  nuns.  To  them  I 
preach  the  Doctrine.  .  .  .  Headman,  just  like  that  waterpot 
which  is  uncracked,  attractive,  very  attractive,  are  my  lay  dis- 
ciples, both  male  and  female.  To  them  I  preach  the  Doctrine.  .  .  . 
Headman,  just  like  that  waterpot  which  is  cracked,  attractive, 
very  attractive,  are  the  teachers  of  perverse  doctrines  opposed  to 
me, — the  wandering  ascetics,  both  monks  and  Brahmans.  To  them 


182  Who  Sees  Me,  Sees  Truth  [Chap.  X. 

I  preach  the  Doctrine,  beautiful  in  its  beginning,  beautiful  in  its 
middle,  beautiful  in  its  end,  in  the  spirit  and  in  the  letter;  I  pro- 
claim the  Holy  Life  in  all  its  fulness,  in  all  its  purity.  Why  is 
this.''  "Perhaps,  were  they  to  know  but  a  single  word,  it  would  be 
to  their  welfare  and  happiness  for  a  long  time  to  come !" 

58.  THE  BUDDHA  AND  ANANDA 

Whoever  walks  in  right eousjiess,  honors  the  Buddha. 

DIgha  ii.  138. 

As  the  Buddha  lay  on  his  death-bed,  he  addressed  Venerable  Ananda 
as  follows : 

All  one  mass  of  blossoms  blown,  O  Ananda,  the  twin  Sal-trees, 
with  flowers  out  of  season,  besprinkle,  bestrew,  overspread,  the 
body  of  the  Tathagata,  to  the  honor  of  the  Tathagata.  Moreover 
heavenly  Mandarava  flowers  fall  from  the  sky ;  these  besprinkle, 
bestrew,  overspread,  the  body  of  the  Tathagata,  to  the  honor  of 
the  Tathagata.  Moreover  heavenly  sandal-powder  falls  from  the 
sky;  this  besprinkles,  bestrews,  overspreads,  the  body  of  the 
Tathagata,  to  the  honor  of  the  Tathagata.  Moreover  heavenly  in- 
struments make  music  in  the  sky,  to  the  honor  of  the  Tathagata. 
Moreover  heavenly  songs  are  wafted  through  the  sky,  to  the  honor 
of  the  Tathagata. 

But,  O  Ananda,  not  for  all  this  is  the  Tathagata  revered  or 
reverenced  or  venerated  or  honored  or  esteemed.  For,  O  Ananda, 
whoever,  he  it  monk  or  nun,  he  it  lay  disciple  male  or  female, — 
whoever  always  walks  according  to  the  Higher  and  the  Lower 
Law,  walks  in  righteousness,  ohserves  the  Lower  Law, — he 
reveres,  reverences,  venerates,  honors,  the  Tathagata  with  the 
highest  honor. 

59.  THE  BUDDHA  AND  VAKKALI 

Whoever  sees  the  Truth,  sees  Me. 
Whoever  sees  Me,  sees  the  Truth. 
Saiinyutta  iii.  119-120. 

Thus  have  I  heard : 

Once  upon  a  time  the  Exalted  One  was  in  residence  at  Rajagaha, 
at  Vcluvana,  at  Kalandakanivapa. 


Par.  59.]  Buddha  and  Vakkali  183 

Now  at  that  time  Venerable  Vakkali  was  in  residence  at  the 
abode  of  a  potter,  afflicted  with  sickness,  afflicted  with  pain, 
severely  ill.  And  Venerable  Vakkali  addressed  his  attendants: 
"Come  you,  brethren,  approach  the  Exalted  One;  having  ap- 
proached, in  my  name  reverence  with  the  head  the  feet  of  the 
Exalted  One,  saying:  'Reverend  Sir,  the  monk  Vakkali  is  afflicted 
with  sickness,  afflicted  with  pain,  severely  ill ;  he  reverences  with  the 
head  the  feet  of  the  Exalted  One.'  And  say  this  further:  'It  were 
well,  Reverend  Sir,'  says  he,  'were  the  Exalted  One,  out  of  compas- 
sion, to  approach  the  monk  Vakkali.'  " 

"Yes,  brother,"  said  those  monks  to  Venerable  Vakkali.  And  in 
obedience  to  his  command  they  approached  the  Exalted  One.  And 
having  approached,  they  saluted  the  Exalted  One  and  sat  down 
on  one  side.  And  sitting  there  on  one  side,  those  monks  said  this 
to  the  Exalted  One :  "Reverend  Sir,  the  monk  Vakkali  is  afflicted 
with  sickness,  afflicted  with  pain,  severely  ill;  he  reverences  with 
the  head  the  feet  of  the  Exalted  One.  And  he  commands  us  to  say 
this  further :  'It  were  well.  Reverend  Sir,'  says  he,  'were  the  Exalted 
One,  out  of  compassion,  to  approach  the  monk  Vakkali.'  " 

The  Exalted  One  gave  consent  by  remaining  silent. 

Now  the  Exalted  One  put  on  under-garment,  took  bowl  and 
robe,  and  approached  Venerable  Vakkali.  Venerable  Vakkali  saw 
the  Exalted  One  approaching  from  afar.  Seeing,  he  quaked  in  his 
bed.  Now  the  Exalted  One  said  this  to  Venerable  Vakkali: 
"Enough,  Vakkali!  Quake  not  in  your  bed!  Seats  are  at  hand, 
already  prepared;  there  will  I  sit  down."  The  Exalted  One  sat 
down  on  a  seat  already  prepared.  Having  sat  down,  the  Exalted 
One  said  this  to  Venerable  Vakkali : 

"I  trust,  Vakkali,  that  life  is  endurable,  that  you  can  support 
life.  I  trust  that  sensations  of  pain  are  retreating,  not  attacking ; 
that  a  retreat  for  good  and  all  is  apparent,  no  attack." 

"Not  for  me.  Reverend  Sir,  is  life  endurable ;  I  cannot  support 
life.  Severe  sensations  of  pain  attack  me,  do  not  retreat;  an  attack 
for  good  and  all  is  apparent,  no  retreat." 

"I  trust,  Vakkali,  that  you  entertain  no  restlessness  at  all,  no 
querulousness  at  all." 

"On  the  contrary.  Reverend  Sir,  I  entertain  no  little  restless- 
ness, no  little  querulousness." 


184  Who  Sees  Me,  Sees  Truth  [Chap.  X. 

"I  trust,  Vakkali,  that  in  your  case  the  Self  has  no  fault  to  find 
with  Morality." 

"No  indeed,  Reverend  Sir,  in  my  case  the  Self  has  no  fault  to 
find  with  Morality." 

"If  in  your  case,  Vakkali,  as  you  say,  the  Self  has  no  fault  to 
find  with  Morality,  then  why  this  restlessness  of  yours.''  why  this 
querulousness  of  yours?" 

"For  a  long  time,  Reverend  Sir,  I  have  desired  to  approach  the 
Exalted  One  to  look  upon  him ;  but  I  have  not  sufficient  strength 
in  my  body  to  approach  the  Exalted  One  to  look  upon  him." 

"Enough,  Vakkali !  What  is  the  use  of  your  looking  upon  this 
foul  body.?  Whoever,  Vakkali,  sees  the  Truth,  sees  Me.  Whatever 
sees  Me,  sees  the  Truth.  For,  Vakkali,  seeing  the  Truth,  one  sees 
Me;  seeing  Me,  one  sees  the  Truth." 

60.  THE  BUDDHA  AND  THE  SICK  MAN 

He  that  would  wait  upon  Me,  let  him  wait  upon  the  sick. 

Vinaya  i.  301-302. 

But  at  that  time  a  certain  monk  was  sick  with  a  disorder  of  the 
bowels,  and  lay  sprawling  in  his  own  urine  and  dung.  Now  the 
Exalted  One,  with  Venerable  Ananda  as  attendant  monk,  wander- 
ing from  place  to  place  in  search  of  lodging,  approached  the 
dwelling-place  of  that  monk.  The  Exalted  One  saw  that  monk  lying 
sprawling  in  his  own  urine  and  dung.  Seeing,  he  approached  that 
monk,  and  having  approached,  said  this  to  that  monk:  "Monk, 
what  ails  you.?"  "Disorder  of  the  bowels,  Exalted  One."  "But 
have  you  a  monk  to  wait  upon  you.?"  "I  have  not,  Exalted  One." 
"Why  do  not  the  monks  wait  upon  you.?"  "I,  Reverend  Sir,  am  of 
no  use  to  the  monks ;  therefore  the  monks  do  not  wait  upon  me." 

Then  the  Exalted  One  addressed  Venerable  Ananda:  "Go, 
Ananda,  fetch  water;  we  will  bathe  this  monk."  "Very  well,"  said 
Venerable  Ananda  to  the  Exalted  One,  and  in  obedience  to  his  com- 
mand fetched  water.  The  P^xalted  One  poured  the  water ;  Venerable 
Ananda  bathed  the  man.  The  Exalted  One  grasped  him  by  the 
head;  Venerable  Ananda  lifted  him  by  the  feet;  they  laid  him  on 
a  bed. 

Then  the  Exalted  One,  employing  this  incident  as  the  source,  as 


Par.  61.]  The  Snake  185 

the  subject,  of  a  lesson,  convoked  the  Assembly  of  Monks  and 
asked  the  monks  one  question  after  another : 

"Monks,  is  there  a  sick  monk  in  yonder  dwelling-place?"  "There 
is,  Exalted  One." 

"INIonks,  what  ails  that  monk?"  "That  monk.  Reverend  Sir,  is 
sick  with  a  disorder  of  the  bowels." 

"But,  monks,  has  that  monk  anyone  to  wait  upon  him?"  "He 
has  not,  Exalted  One." 

"Why  do  not  the  monks  wait  upon  him?"  "That  monk,  Rever- 
end Sir,  is  of  no  use  to  the  monks ;  therefore  the  monks  do  not  wait 
upon  him." 

"Monks,  you  have  no  mother,  you  have  no  father,  to  wait 
upon  you.  If  you,  monks,  will  not  wait  upon  each  other,  then  who, 
pray,  will  wait  upon  you?  Monks,  he  that  would  wait  upon  Me,  let 
Mm  wait  upon  the  sick." 


61.  THE  SNAKE 

Grasp  the  Scriptures  aright. 
Maj  jhima  i.  133-134. 

"Grasped  wrongly/'  said  the  Buddha  on  a  certain  occasion,  "the  Scrip- 
tures conduce  to  hurt  and  harm." 

It  is  precisely  as  if  a  man,  wanting  a  water-snake,  hunting  a 
water-snake,  searching  for  a  water-snake,  were  to  see  a  big  water- 
snake  and  were  to  grasp  it  by  the  body  or  by  the  tail,  and  that 
water-snake  were  to  turn  on  him  and  were  to  bite  him  on  the  hand 
or  on  the  arm  or  on  some  other  major  or  minor  member  of  the 
body,  and  as  a  result  of  this  he  were  to  incur  death  or  mortal  pain. 
And  why?  Because  he  wrongly  grasped  the  water-snake. 

"Precisely  so,"  said  the  Buddha,  "the  Scriptures,  wrongly  grasped, 
conduce  to  hurt  and  harm." 

"On  the  other  hand,"  said  the  Buddha,  "the  Scriptures,  rightly 
grasped,  conduce  to  weal  and  welfare." 

It  is  precisely  as  if  a  man,  wanting  a  water-snake,  hunting  a 
water-snake,  searching  for  a  water-snake,  were  to  see  a  big  water- 
snake,  and  with  a  goat's  foot,  with  a  stick,  were  to  hold  it  down, 
were  to  hold  it  down  firmly;  and  with  the  goat's  foot,  with  the 


186  BeJiold  the  Fruit  of  Faith!  [Chap.  X. 

stick,  holding  it  down,  holding  it  down  firmly,  were  to  grasp  it  by 
the  neck,  were  to  grasp  it  firmly ; — no  matter  how  much  that  water- 
snake  were  to  wrap  its  coils  about  that  man's  hand  or  arm  or 
other  major  or  minor  member  of  his  body,  nevertheless,  as  a  re- 
sult of  that  man's  firm  grasp,  he  would  incur  neither  death  nor 
mortal  pain.  And  why?  Because  he  rightly  grasped  the  water- 
snake. 

"Precisely  so^"  said  the  Buddha,  "the  Scriptures,  rightly  grasped, 
conduce  to  weal  and  welfare." 


62.  WALKING  ON  THE  WATER 

Behold  the  fruit  of  faith! 
Jataka  190:11.111-113. 

A.  Story  of  th£  Present. 

Behold  the  fruit  of  faith!  This  parable  was  related  by  the  Teacher 
while  he  was  in  residence  at  Jetavana  monastery  with  reference  to  a 
certain  lay  disciple  possessed  of  faith. 

This  Noble  Disciple,  we  are  told,  possessed  of  faith  and  serenity 
of  mind,  set  out  one  day  for  Jetavana  monastery.  At  eventide  he 
reached  the  bank  of  the  river  Aciravati,  after  the  boatman  had 
beached  his  boat  and  gone  to  hear  the  preaching  of  the  Doctrine. 

Not  seeing  a  boat,  he  had  recourse  to  the  Practice  of  Medita- 
tion, concentrated  his  thoughts  on  the  Buddha,  attained  the 
Ecstasy  of  Joy,  and  descended  into  the  river.  His  feet  did  not 
sink  in  the  w'ater.  He  walked  along  as  though  he  were  walking  on 
the  surface  of  the  land  until  he  came  to  mid-stream.  Then  he  saw 
waves.  Then  the  Ecstasy  of  Joy,  the  result  of  the  concentration 
of  his  thoughts  on  the  Buddha,  became  weak.  Then  his  feet  began 
to  sink.  But  he  concentrated  his  thoughts  anew  on  the  Buddha, 
strengthened  the  Ecstasy  of  Joy,  walked  on  the  surface  of  the 
w^ater  as  before,  entered  Jetavana  monastery,  bowed  to  the 
Teacher,  and  sat  down  on  one  side. 

The  Teacher  exchanged  greetings  with  him,  and  asked:  "Lay 
disciple,  I  trust  that  as  you  came  hither,  you  came  hither  without 
weariness."  "Reverend  Sir,  I  had  recourse  to  the  Practice  of  ]Medi- 
tation,  concentrated  my  thoughts  on  tlie  Buddha,  attained  the 


Par.  62.]  Walking  on  Water  187 

Ecstasy  of  Joy,  obtained  support  on  the  surface  of  the  water,  and 
came  hither  as  though  I  were  treading  the  earth." 

Said  the  Teacher:  "But,  lay  disciple,  you  are  not  the  only  one 
who  has  obtained  support  by  meditating  on  the  Merits  of  the 
Buddha.  In  former  times  also,  lay  disciples  who  were  shipwrecked 
in  mid-ocean  meditated  on  the  Merits  of  the  Buddha,  and  thus 
obtained  support."  Then,  in  response  to  the  layman's  request,  he 
related  the  following 

B.  Story  of  the  Past. 

In  times  past,  in  the  dispensation  of  the  Buddha  Kassapa,  a 
Noble  Disciple  who  had  attained  the  Fruit  of  Conversion,  put  to 
sea  in  a  boat  with  a  householder,  a  barber.  The  barber's  wife  put 
him  in  the  hands  of  that  lay  disciple  with  the  injunction:  "Noble 
Sir,  you  are  to  care  for  him,  for  better,  for  worse." 

Now  on  the  seventh  day  that  boat  suffered  shipwreck  in  mid- 
ocean.  Those  two  persons,  lying  on  a  single  plank,  reached  a 
certain  little  island.  There  that  barber  killed  some  birds  and 
cooked  and  ate  them,  and  gave  some  also  to  the  lay  disciple. 

"None  for  me!"  said  the  lay  disciple,  refusing  to  eat  them. 
Thought  he :  "In  this  place  there  is  no  support  for  us  except  the 
Three  Refuges:  the  Buddha,  the  Doctrine,  and  the  Order  of 
Monks." 

Accordingly  he  began  to  meditate  on  the  Merits  of  the  Three 
Jewels.  As  he  meditated  and  meditated  on  the  Merits  of  the  Three 
Jewels,  a  dragon-king  reborn  on  that  little  island,  formed  and 
created  out  of  his  own  body  a  great  ship.  A  sea-spirit  was  pilot. 
The  ship  was  filled  with  the  seven  kinds  of  jewels.  The  three  masts 
were  of  sapphire,  the  anchor  of  gold,  the  ropes  of  silver,  the  planks 
of  gold. 

The  sea-spirit,  standing  on  the  ship,  called  out:  "Any  passen- 
gers for  the  Land  of  the  Rose-apple.?"  Said  the  lay  disciple:  "We 
are  going !"  "Well  then,  come  along !  get  on  board  ship !"  The  lay 
disciple  embarked  on  the  ship,  and  called  to  the  barber.  Said  the 
sea-spirit :  "You  alone  may  come, — that  fellow  may  not !"  "Why 
not.'"'  "That  fellow  does  not  walk  in  the  moral  virtues, — that  is 
why.  I  brought  this  sliip  for  you, — not  for  that  fellow."  "Never 
mind !  I  give  to  him  the  fruit  of  the  merit  which  I  have  acquired 
by  the  alms  which  I  have  given,  by  the  moral  precepts  which  I 


188  The  Beginningless  [Chap.  X. 

have  kept,  by  the  supernatural  powers  which  I  have  developed  by 
the  Practice  of  Meditation."  Said  the  barber:  "I  thank  you, 
master."  Said  the  spirit :  "Now  I  will  take  him !" 

And  him  the  spirit  took  on  board.  And  departing  from  the 
ocean  with  those  two  persons,  the  spirit  went  by  river  to  Benares. 
And  by  his  own  supernatural  power  having  stored  wealth  in  the 
house  of  those  very  two,  he  addressed  them  as  follows :  "Only  with 
the  wise  should  one  associate.  For  had  this  barber  not  associated 
with  this  lay  disciple,  he  would  have  perished  right  there  in  mid- 
ocean."  And  extolling  the  advantages  of  association  with  the 
wise,  he  pronounced  the  following  stanzas : 

Behold  the  fruit  of  faith  and  goodness  and  generosity ! 
As  'twere  a  ship,  a  dragon  bears  a  layman  who  has  faith ! 

With  good  men  only  should  ye  sit,  with  good  men  only  friendly  be ! 
For  through  association  with  the  good,  the  barber  goes  to  safety ! 

Thus  the  sea-spirit,  poised  in  mid-air,  preached  the  Doctrine 
by  way  of  admonition.  Then,  taking  the  king  of  the  dragons  along, 
he  went  back  again  to  his  own  abode. 

The  Teacher,  having  related  this  parable,  proclaimed  the  Truths, 
and  interpreted  the  Birth-Story:  (At  the  conclusion  of  the  Truths, 
the  lay  disciple  was  established  in  the  Fruit  of  the  Second  Path.) 

'At  that  time  the  lay  disciple  who  had  attained  the  Fruit  of  Con- 
version passed  to  Nibbana ;  the  king  of  the  dragons  was  Sariputta.  The 
sea-spirit  was  I  myself." 

63.  THE  BEGINNINGLESS  ROUND  OF  EXISTENCES. 

Uproot  Craving^  the  Eye  of  Existence. 
Synopsis  of  Saihyutta  15:  ii.  178-193. 

Thus  have  I  heard:  Once  upon  a  time  the  Exalted  One  was  in  resi- 
dence at  Savatthi,  at  Jetavana,  in  Jivaka's  Mango  Grove.  At  that 
time  the  Exalted  One  addressed  the  monks:  "Monks!"  "Reverend 
Sir !"  replied  those  monks  to  the  Exalted  One.  The  Exalted  One  said 
this: 

Without  conceivable  beginning,  monks,  is  this  Round  of  Exist- 
ences. Unknown  is  a  starting-point  in  the  past  of  beings  impeded 
by  the  Impediment  of  Ignorance,  fettered  by  the  Fetter  of  Crav- 
ing, hasting,  hurrying,  from  birth  to  birth.  The  ancestors  of  a  man 


'ar, 


63.]  Round  of  Existences  189 


are  more  numerous  than  all  the  blades  of  grass  and  sticks  and 
branches  and  leaves  in  India ;  more  numerous  than  all  the  particles 
of  dust  that  compose  the  earth.  The  tears  shed,  the  mother's  milk 
drunk  by  a  man  in  his  previous  states  of  existence,  are  more  abun- 
dant than  all  the  water  contained  in  the  four  gi^eat  oceans. 

How  long  is  a  cycle  of  time? — Longer  than  would  be  required 
for  a  range  of  mountains  a  league  in  length,  a  league  in  breadth,  a 
league  in  height,  of  solid  rock,  without  a  cleft,  without  a  crack, 
to  waste  and  wear  away,  were  it  to  be  wiped  once  in  a  century  with 
a  silken  cloth ;  longer  than  would  be  required  for  a  heap  of 
mustard-seed  of  the  same  dimensions  to  disappear,  were  but  a 
single  seed  to  be  removed  once  in  a  century.  Of  cycles  of  time  as 
long  as  this,  there  have  elapsed  many  hundreds  of  cycles,  many 
thousands  of  cycles,  many  hundreds  of  thousands  of  cycles.  Indeed, 
it  is  impossible  to  count  them  in  terms  of  cycles  or  hundreds  of 
cycles  or  thousands  of  cycles  or  hundreds  of  thousands  of  cycles. 
For  example,  were  each  of  four  centenarians  to  call  to  mind  a 
hundred  thousand  cycles  of  time  every  day  of  his  life,  all  four 
would  die  or  ever  they  could  count  them  all. 

The  cycles  of  time  that  have  elapsed  are  more  numerous  than 
all  the  sands  that  lie  between  the  source  and  the  mouth  of  the 
Ganges.  The  bones  left  by  a  single  individual  in  his  passage  from 
birth  to  birth  during  a  single  cycle  of  time  would  form  a  pile  so 
huge  that  were  all  the  mountains  of  Vepulla-range  to  be  gathered 
up  and  piled  in  a  heap,  that  heap  of  mountains  would  appear  as 
naught  beside  it.  The  head  of  every  man  has  been  cut  off  so  many 
times  in  his  previous  states  of  existence,  either  as  a  human  being 
or  as  an  animal,  as  to  cause  him  to  shed  blood  more  abundant  than 
all  the  water  contained  in  the  four  great  oceans.  For  so  long  a 
time  as  this,  you  have  endured  suffering,  you  have  endured  agony, 
you  have  endured  calamity.  In  view  of  this,  you  have  every  reason 
to  feel  disgust  and  aversion  for  all  existing  things  and  to  free 
yourselves  from  them. 

Thus  spoke  the  Exalted  One.  When  he,  the  Happy  One,  had  thus 
spoken,  he,  the  Teacher,  spoke  thus  further: 

Impermanent  are  all  existing  things: 
Birth  and  decay  inhere  therein ; 
They  come  to  exist  and  cease  to  exist; 
It  is  well  when  they  have  ceased  to  exist. 


190  Purpose  of  Religious  Life  [Chap.  X. 

6k  THE  RELAYS 

The  religious  life  is  only  a  means  to  an  end. 

Majjhima24:  i.  147-148. 

On  a  certain  occasion  Venerable  Sariputta  said  this  to  Venerable  Man- 
taniputta: 

"Is  the  religious  life  lived  under  our  Exalted  One?"  "Yes." 

"Is  the  religious  life  lived  under  the  Exalted  One  for  the  sake  of 
purity  of  conduct?"  "No  indeed." 

"Is  the  religious  life  lived  under  the  Exalted  One  for  the  sake  of 
purity  of  heart?"  "No  indeed." 

"Is  the  religious  life  lived  under  the  Exalted  One  for  the  sake  of 
purity  of  belief?"  "No  indeed." 

"Is  the  religious  life  lived  under  the  Exalted  One  for  the  sake  of 
purity  of  certitude?"  "No  indeed." 

"Is  the  religious  life  lived  under  the  Exalted  One  for  the  sake  of 
purity  of  insight  through  knowledge  of  what  is  the  Way  and  what  is 
not  the  Way?"  "No  indeed." 

"Is  the  religious  life  lived  under  the  Exalted  One  for  the  sake  of 
purity  of  insight  through  knowledge  of  the  Path?"  "No  indeed." 

"Is  the  religious  life  lived  under  the  Exalted  One  for  the  sake  of 
purity  of  insight  through  knowledge?"  "No  indeed." 

"Brother,  when  I  ask  you:  'Is  the  religious  life  lived  under  the 
Exalted  One  for  the  sake  of  purity  of  conduct.'' — for  the  sake  of  purity 
of  heart? — for  the  sake  of  purity  of  belief? — for  the  sake  of  purity  of 
certitude? — for  the  sake  of  purity  of  insight  through  knowledge  of 
what  is  the  Way  and  what  is  not  the  Way  ? — for  the  sake  of  purity  of 
insight  through  knowledge  of  the  Path? — for  the  sake  of  purity  of 
insight  through  knowedge?' — you  say:  'No  indeed.'  For  the  sake  of 
what,  pray,  is  the  religious  life  lived  under  the  Exalted  One?" 

"Brother,  the  religious  life  is  lived  under  the  Exalted  One  that  we 
may,  through  detachment  from  the  things  of  earth  and  heaven,  attain 
Supreme  Nibbana." 

"Is     purity     of    conduct    detachment, — Supreme     Nibbana?"     "No 

indeed." 

"Is  purity  of  heart  detachment, — Supreme  Nibbana?"  "No  indeed." 
"Is  purity  of  belief  detachment, — Supreme  Nibbana?"  "No  indeed." 
"Is    purity    of    certitude    detachment, — Supreme    Nibbana?"    "No 

indeed." 

"Is  purity  of  insight  through  knowledge  of  what  is  the  Way  and 

what  is  not  the  Way,  detachment, — Supreme  Nibbana?"  "No  indeed." 


Par.  64.]  The  Relmjs  191 

"Is  purity  of  insight  through  knowledge  of  the  Path,  detachment, — 
Supreme  Nibbana.'*"  "No  indeed." 

"Is  purity  of  insight  through  knowledge,  detachment, — Supreme 
Nibbana?"  "No  indeed." 

"Then  is  some  state  other  than  these  detachment, — Supreme  Nib- 
bana.''" "No  indeed." 

"Brother,  when  I  ask  you:  'Does  detachment, — Supreme  Nibbana, 
consist  of  purity  of  conduct.'* — of  purity  of  heart? — of  purity  of  be- 
lief.''— of  purity  of  certitude? — of  purity  of  insight  through  knowl- 
edge of  what  is  the  Way  and  what  is  not  the  Way.^ — of  purity  of  in- 
sight through  knowledge  of  the  Path? — of  purity  of  insight  through 
knowledge.'' — of  some  state  other  than  these?' — you  say:  'No  indeed.' 
What  interpretation,  pray,  am  I  to  put  on  your  words  ?" 

"Brother,  if  the  Exalted  One  had  taught  that  Supreme  Nibbana, 
whose  essence  is  detachment,  is  purity  of  conduct, — purity  of  heart, — 
purity  of  belief, — purity  of  certitude, — purity  of  insight  through 
knowledge  of  what  is  the  Way  and  what  is  not  the  Way, — purity  of 
insight  through  knowledge  of  the  Path, — purity  of  insight  through 
knowledge, — if,  I  say,  the  Exalted  One  had  taught  that  Supreme  Nib- 
bana, whose  essence  is  detachment,  is  any  one  of  these,  the  Exalted 
One  might  just  as  well  have  taught  that  the  essence  of  Supreme  Nib- 
bana is  oftachment.  Moreover,  if  Supreme  Nibbana,  whose  essence  is 
detachment,  were  some  state  other  than  these,  an  unconverted  person 
might  attain  Nibbana,  for  an  unconverted  person  is  in  some  state  other 
than  these. 

"Therefore,  brother,  I  will  compose  a  parable  for  you.  Even  by  a 
parable  does  many  a  man  of  understanding  here  in  this  world  compre- 
hend the  meaning  of  a  statement." 

Suppose,  brother,  while  King  Pasenadi  Kosala  is  residing  in 
Savatthi,  some  business  or  other  of  a  pressing  nature  were  to  come 
up,  requiring  his  presence  in  Saketa,  and  suppose  his  men  were  to 
place  in  readiness  for  him,  between  Savatthi  and  Saketa,  seven  re- 
lays of  chariots.  And,  brother,  suppose  King  Pasenadi  Kosala 
were  to  depart  from  Savatthi,  and  at  the  gate  of  his  palace  were 
to  mount  the  first  relay  of  chariots,  and  in  the  first  relay  of 
chariots  were  to  go  as  far  as  the  second  relay  of  chariots.  He 
would  dismiss  the  first  relay  of  chariots  and  mount  the  second 
relay  of  chariots,  and  in  the  second  relay  of  chariots  would  go 
as  far  as  the  third  relay  of  chariots.  In  this  manner  he  would  go 
until  he  reached  the  seventh  relay  of  chariots.  When  he  reached 
the  seventh  relay  of  chariots,  he  would  dismiss  the  sixth  relay 
of  chariots,  mount  the  seventh  relay  of  chariots,  and  go  in  the 


192  Purpose  of  Religious  Life  [Chap.  X. 

seventh  relay  of  chariots  until  he  reached  Saketa,  until  he  reached 
the  gate  of  his  palace. 

And  suppose,  when  he  reached  the  gate  of  his  palace,  his  friends 
and  companions,  his  kinsmen  and  blood-relatives  were  to  ask  him 
this  question :  "Great  king,  was  it  in  this  chariot  that  you  traveled 
all  of  the  way  from  Savatthi  to  Saketa,  all  of  the  way  to  the  gate 
of  your  palace.'*"  With  what  manner  of  answer,  brother,  would 
King  Pascnadi  Kosala  answer,  were  he  to  answer  correctly.?  With 
this  manner  of  answer,  brother,  would  King  Pasenadi  Kosala 
answer,  were  he  to  answer  correctly : 

"Lo !  while  I  was  residing  in  Savatthi,  some  business  or  other  of 
a  pressing  nature  came  up,  requiring  my  presence  in  Saketa. 
My  men  placed  in  readiness  for  me,  between  Savatthi  and 
Saketa,  seven  relays  of  chariots.  So  I  departed  from  Savatthi,  and 
at  the  gate  of  my  palace  mounted  the  first  relay  of  chariots,  and 
in  the  first  relay  of  chariots  came  as  far  as  the  second  relay  of 
chariots.  I  dismissed  the  first  relay  of  chariots  and  mounted  the 
second  relay  of  chariots,  and  in  the  second  relay  of  chariots  came 
as  far  as  the  third  relay  of  chariots.  In  this  manner  came  I  until 
I  reached  the  seventh  relay  of  chariots.  When  I  reached  the 
seventh  relay  of  chariots,  I  dismissed  the  sixth  relay  of  chariots, 
mounted  the  seventh  relay  of  chariots,  and  came  in  the  seventh 
relay  of  chariots  until  I  reached  Saketa,  until  I  reached  the  gate 
of  my  palace." 

With  this  manner  of  answer,  brother,  would  King  Pasenadi 
Kosala  answer,  were  he  to  answer  correctly. 

"Precisely  so,  brother,  purity  of  conduct  leads  straight  to  purity  of 
heart.  Purity  of  heart  leads  straight  to  purity  of  belief.  Purity  of  belief 
leads  straight  to  purity  of  certitude.  Purity  of  certitude  leads  straight 
to  purity  of  insight  through  knowledge  of  what  is  the  Way  and  what 
is  not  the  Way.  Purity  of  insight  through  knowledge  of  what  is  the 
Way  and  what  is  not  the  Way,  leads  straight  to  purity  of  insight 
through  knowledge  of  the  Path.  Purity  of  insight  through  knowledge 
of  the  Path,  leads  straight  to  purity  of  insight  through  knowledge. 
Purity  of  insight  through  knowledge  leads  straight  to  detachment, — 
Supreme  Nibbana. 

"Brother,  the  religious  life  is  lived  under  the  Exalted  One  that  we 
may,  through  detachment  from  the  things  of  earth  and  heaven,  attain 
Supreme  Nibbana." 


Par.  65.]  Great  Ocean  193 

65.  THE  GREAT  OCEAN 

The  Doctrine  tastes  only  of  Deliverance. 
Anguttara  iv.  197-204. 

Once  upon  a  time  the  Exalted  One  was  in  residence  at  Veranja,  at 
Nalerupucimandamula,  Now  Paharada  king  of  Asuras  approached  the 
Exalted  One,  and  having  approached,  saluted  the  Exalted  One  and 
stood  aside.  And  as  Paharada  king  of  Asuras  stood  aside,  the  Exalted 
One  said  this  to  him:  "But,  Paharada,  do  the  Asuras  delight  in  the 
Great  Ocean.?"  "Reverend  Sir,  the  Asuras  do  delight  in  the  Great 
Ocean."  "But,  Paharada,  how  many  are  the  wonderful  and  mar- 
velous properties  possessed  by  the  Great  Ocean,  perceiving  which 
the  Asuras  delight  in  the  Great  Ocean.?"  "Eight  in  number.  Reverend 
Sir,  are  the  wonderful  and  marvelous  properties  possessed  by  the 
Great  Ocean,  perceiving  which  the  Asuras  delight  in  the  Great  Ocean. 
What  are  the  Eight?" 

Eight  properties  of  the  Great  Ocean. 

The  Great  Ocean,  Reverend  Sir,  lowers  gradually,  slopes  gradu- 
ally, hollows  gradually,  and  there  is  no  steep  declivity.  Inasmuch, 
Reverend  Sir,  as  the  Great  Ocean  lowers  gradually,  slopes  gradu- 
ally, hollows  gradually,  and  inasmuch  as  there  is  no  steep  declivity, 
this.  Reverend  Sir,  is  the  first  wonderful  and  marvelous  property 
possessed  by  the  Great  Ocean,  perceiving  which  the  Asuras  de- 
light in  the  Great  Ocean. 

But  again  further.  Reverend  Sir,  the  Great  Ocean  ever  abides 
steadfast  and  never  overpasses  its  bounds.  This  is  the  second 
property. 

But  again  further.  Reverend  Sir,  the  Great  Ocean  will  not  brook 
association  with  a  dead  body.  If  there  be  a  dead  body  in  the  Great 
Ocean,  quickly  enough  docs  the  Great  Ocean  wash  that  dead  body 
up  on  the  shore,  cast  it  up  on  dry  land.  This  is  the  third  prop- 
erty. 

But  again  further,  Reverend  Sir,  all  the  Great  Rivers,  to  wit, 
Gaiiga,  Yamuna,  Aciravati,  Sarabhu,  Mahi,  on  reaching  the  Great 
Ocean,  renounce  their  former  personal  and  family  names,  and  are 
called  "The  Great  Ocean."  This  is  the  fourth  property. 

But  again  further,  Reverend  Sir,  although  all  the  streams  that 
are  in  the  world  flow  into  the  Great  Ocean,  and  all  the  showers 
that  are  in  the  atmosphere   fall   into   it,  not  therefore  does  the 


194  Eight  Properties  of  [Chap.  X. 

Great  Ocean  appear  to  be  either  diminished  or  replenislied.  This 
is  the  fifth  property. 

But  again  further,  Reverend  Sir,  the  Great  Ocean  has  but  one 
taste,  the  taste  of  salt.  This  is  the  sixth  property. 

But  again  further.  Reverend  Sir,  the  Great  Ocean  contains 
many  jewels,  numerous  jewels;  therein  are  these  jewels,  to  wit: 
pearls,  gems,  lapis  lazuli,  conch,  rock,  coral,  silver,  gold,  rubies, 
cat's  eye.  This  is  the  seventh  property. 

But  again  further.  Reverend  Sir,  the  Great  Ocean  is  the  abode 
of  mighty  beings ;  therein  dwell  the  following  beings :  Timitimin- 
galas,  Timiramingalas,  Asuras,  Nagas,  Gandhabbas ;  there  are  in 
the  Great  Ocean  monsters  a  hundred  leagues  in  measure,  monsters 
two  hundred  leagues  in  measure,  monsters  three  hundred  leagues 
in  measure,  monsters  four  hundred  leagues  in  measure,  monsters 
five  hundred  leagues  in  measure.  Inasmuch,  Reverend  Sir,  as  the 
Great  Ocean  is  the  abode  of  mighty  beings ;  inasmuch  as  therein 
dwell  the  following  beings :  Timitimingalas,  Timiramingalas, 
Asuras,  Nagas,  Gandhabbas ;  inasmuch  as  there  are  in  the  Great 
Ocean  monsters  a  hundred  leagues  in  measure,  monsters  two  hun- 
dred leagues  in  measure,  monsters  three  hundred  leagues  in  meas- 
ure, monsters  four  hundred  leagues  in  measure,  monsters  five  hun- 
dred leagues  in  measure,  this.  Reverend  Sir,  is  the  eighth  wonderful 
and  marvelous  property  possessed  by  the  Great  Ocean,  perceiving 
which  the  Asuras  delight  in  the  Great  Ocean. 

"These,  Reverend  Sir,  are  the  eight  wonderful  and  marvelous  prop- 
erties possessed  by  the  Great  Ocean,  perceiving  whicli  tlie  Asuras  de- 
light in  the  Great  Ocean." 

"But,  Reverend  Sir,  do  the  monks  delight  in  this  Doctrine  and 
Discipline?" 

"Paliarada,  the  monks  do  deliglit  in  this  Doctrine  and  Discipline." 

"But,  Reverend  Sir,  liow  many  are  the  wonderful  and  marvelous 
properties  possessed  by  this  Doctrine  and  Discipline,  perceiving  which 
the  monks  delight  in  this  Doctrine  and  Discipline.''" 

"Eight  in  number,  Paharada,  are  the  wonderful  and  marvelous  prop- 
erties possessed  by  this  Doctrine  and  Discipline,  perceiving  which  the 
monks  delight  in  this  Doctrine  and  Discipline.  What  are  the  Eight?" 

Eight  properties  of  the  Doctrine  and  Discipline. 

Just  as  the  Great  Ocean  lowers  gradually,  slopes  gradually, 
hollows  gradually,  and  there  is  no  steep  declivity,  so  also  in  this 


Par.  65.]  Great  Ocean  195 

Doctrine  and  Discipline  the  training  is  graduated,  the  labor  is 
graduated,  the  Path  is  graduated,  and  there  is  no  sudden  attain- 
ment of  Knowledge.  Inasmuch  as  in  this  Doctrine  and  Discipline 
the  training  is  graduated,  the  labor  is  graduated,  the  Path  is 
graduated,  and  there  is  no  sudden  attainment  of  Knowledge,  this 
is  the  first  wonderful  and  marvelous  property  possessed  by  this 
Doctrine  and  Discipline,  perceiving  which  the  monks  delight  in 
this  Doctrine  and  Discipline. 

Just  as  the  Great  Ocean  ever  abides  steadfast  and  never  over- 
passes its  bounds,  so  also  my  disciples,  on  their  lives,  do  not  trans- 
gress the  body  of  precepts  which  I  have  enjoined  upon  them.  This 
is  the  second  property. 

Just  as  the  Great  Ocean  will  not  brook  association  with  a  dead 
body,  but,  if  there  be  a  dead  body  in  the  Great  Ocean,  the  Great 
Ocean  quickly  enough  washes  that  dead  body  up  on  the  shore, 
casts  it  up  on  dry  land,  so  also,  if  there  be  an  individual  who  is 
immoral,  of  bad  character,  of  impure  and  doubtful  conduct,  of 
hidden  deeds, — not  really  a  monk,  although  he  may  have  taken 
the  monastic  vows, — not  really  chaste,  although  he  may  have 
taken  the  vow  of  chastity, — foul  within,  lustful, — a  worthless 
fellow,  the  Order  will  not  brook  association  with  him,  but  quickly 
enough  assembles  and  casts  him  out.  And  even  if  that  monk  be 
seated  in  the  midst  of  the  Order  of  Monks,  yet,  for  all  that,  he  is 
far  indeed  from  the  Order,  and  the  Order  from  him.  This  is  the 
third  property. 

Just  as  all  the  Great  Rivers,  to  wit,  Ganga,,  Yamuna,  Aciravati, 
Sarabhu,  Mahi,  on  reaching  the  Great  Ocean,  renounce  their 
former  personal  and  family  names,  and  are  called  "The  Great 
Ocean,"  so  also  these  four  castes,  to  wit,  Khattiyas,  Brahmanas, 
Vessas,  Suddas,  on  going  forth  from  the  house-life  to  the  house- 
less life  under  the  Doctrine  and  Discipline  proclaimed  by  the 
Tathagata,  renounce  their  former  personal  and  family  names,  and 
are  called  "Sons  of  the  Sakya  Prince."  This  is  the  fourth  property. 

Just  as,  although  all  the  streams  that  are  in  the  world  flow  into 
the  Great  Ocean,  and  all  the  showers  that  are  in  the  atmosphere 
fall  into  it,  not  therefore  does  the  Great  Ocean  appear  to  be  either 
diminished  or  replenished,  so  also,  although  many  monks  pass  to 
Supreme  Nibbana,  to  that  form  of  Nibbana  in  which  no  traces  of 
the  Elements  of  Being  remain,  not  therefore  does  that  form  of 


196  Great  Ocean  [Chap.  X. 

Nibbana  in  which  no  traces  of  the  Elements  of  Being  remain  ap- 
pear to  be  either  diminished  or  replenished.  This  is  the  fifth 
property. 

Just  as  the  Great  Ocean  has  but  one  taste,  the  taste  of  salt, 
so  also  this  Doctrine  and  Discipline  has  but  one  taste,  the  taste  of 
Deliverance.  This  is  the  sixth  property. 

Just  as  the  Great  Ocean  contains  many  jewels,  numerous  jewels ; 
just  as  therein  are  these  jewels,  to  wit:  pearls,  gems,  lapis  lazuli, 
conch,  rock,  coral,  silver,  gold,  rubies,  cat's  eye,  so  also  this  Doc- 
trine and  Discipline  contains  many  jewels,  numerous  jewels; 
therein  are  these  jewels,  to  wit:  the  Four  Intent  Contemplations, 
the  Four  Right  Exertions,  the  Four  Means  of  Attaining  Magical 
Power,  the  Five  Moral  Senses,  the  Five  Powers,  the  Seven  Requi- 
sites for  Attaining  Supreme  Knowledge,  the  Noble  Eightfold 
Path.  This  is  the  seventh  property. 

Just  as  the  Great  Ocean  is  the  abode  of  mighty  beings;  just  as 
therein  dwell  the  following  beings:  Timitimiiigalas,  Timiramiii- 
galas,  Asuras,  Nagas,  Gandhabbas;  just  as  there  are  in  the  Great 
Ocean  monsters  a  hundred  leagues  in  measure,  monsters  two  hun- 
dred leagues  in  measure,  monsters  three  hundred  leagues  in  meas- 
ure, monsters  four  hundred  leagues  in  measure,  monsters  five 
hundred  leagues  in  measure,  so  also  this  Doctrine  and  Discipline 
is  the  abode  of  mighty  beings;  therein  are  the  following  beings: 
He-who-has-entered-the-stream,  he  who  has  entered  the  Path  of 
Conversion,  he  who  has  entered  the  Path  that  leads  to  the  realiza- 
tion of  the  Fruit  of  Conversion;  He-who-will-be-reborn-but-once, 
he  who  has  entered  the  Path  that  leads  to  the  realization  of  the 
Fruit  of  One-who-wiil-be-reborn-but-once ;  He-who-will-be-reborn- 
no-more,  he  who  has  entered  the  Path  that  leads  to  the  realization 
of  the  Fruit  of  Onc-wlio-will-be-rcborn-no-more;  the  Saint,  he  who 
has  entered  upon  Sainthood. 

Inasmuch  as  this  Doctrine  and  Discipline  is  the  abode  of  mighty 
beings ;  inasmuch  as  therein  are  the  following  beings :  He-who-has- 
entered-the-stream,  he  who  has  entered  the  Path  of  Conversion, 
he  who  has  entered  the  Path  that  leads  to  the  realization  of  the 
Fruit  of  Conversion ;  He-who-will-be-reborn-but-oncc,  he  who  has 
entered  the  Path  that  leads  to  tlie  realization  of  the  Fruit  of  One- 
who-will-be-reborn-but-once ;  He-who-will-be-reborn-no-more,  he 
who  has  entered  the  Path  that  leads  to  the  realization  of  the  Fruit 


Par.  66.] 


Buddha  and  Herdsman 


197 


of  One-who-will-be-rcborn-no-niore ;  the  Saint,  he  who  has  entered 
upon  Sainthood,  this  is  the  eighth  wonderful  and  marvelous  prop- 
erty possessed  by  this  Doctrine  and  Discipline,  perceiving  which 
the  monks  delight  in  this  Doctrine  and  Discipline. 

"These  are  the  eight  wonderful  and  marvelous  properties  possessed 
by  this  Doctrine  and  Discipline,  perceiving  which  the  monks  delight 
in  this  Doctrine  and  Discipline." 


Q6.   THE  BUDDHA  AND  THE  HERDSMAN  DHANIYA 

So  if  thou  wilt,  rain,  0  god! 
Sutta  Nipata  No.  2. 

Herdsman:  Boiled  is  my  rice,  milked  are  my  cows. 

Along  the  bank  of  the  river  Grand  I  dwell  with  equals ; 
Covered  my  hut,  kindled  my  fire: 
So  if  thou  wilt,  rain,  O  god ! 

Buddha:        Free  from  anger,  free  from  stubbornness  am  I, 

Along  the  bank  of  the  river  Grand  I  dwell  for  a  single 

night; 
Uncovered  my  hut,  extinguished  my  fire: 
So  if  thou  wilt,  rain,  O  god ! 

Herdsman:  Fireflies  and  mosquitoes  are  non-existent; 

In  marshy  land  overgrown  with  grass  my  cattle  roam; 
Even  should  rain  come,  they  could  stand  it: 
So  if  thou  wilt,  rain,  O  god ! 

Buddlia :        I  have  fashioned  a  swimming-girdle  of  twisted  grass ; 
It  was  put  together  with  care. 
I  have  crossed  and  gone  to  the  farther  shore. 
Having  overcome  the  flood. 
I  need  the  girdle  no  more: 
So  if  thou  wilt,  rain,  O  god ! 

Herdsman:   My  wife  is  obedient,  not  wanton; 

Long  has  she  lived  with  me ;  she  is  dear  to  my  heart ; 
I  hear  no  evil  at  all  of  her : 
So  if  thou  wilt,  rain,  O  god ! 

Buddha:        My  thoughts  are  obedient,  completely  delivered, 
In  the  course  of  a  long  period  of  time 
Developed  to  j^erfection,  well-tamed; 
Moreover  evil  is  not  found  in  me: 
So  if  thou  wilt,  rain,  O  god ! 


198  Every  Man  Born  with  [Chap.  X. 

Herdsman:  On  my  earnings  I  support  myself, 

And  my  children  are  healthy,  one  and  all ; 
I  hear  no  evil  at  all  of  them: 
So  if  thou  wilt,  rain,  O  god ! 

Buddha:        I  am  nobody's  hireling; 

With  what  I  have  acquired  I  go  all  over  the  world; 

I  need  no  hire: 

So  if  thou  wilt,  rain,  O  god! 

Herdsman:   I  have  cows,  I  have  calves, 

I  have  also  young  cows  for  breeding, 

And  I  also  have  a  bull  for  lord  of  the  herd: 

So  if  thou  wilt,  rain,  O  god ! 

Buddha :        I  have  no  cows,  I  have  no  calves, 

Nor  have  I  young  cows  for  breeding, 

Nor  have  I  here  a  bull  for  lord  of  the  herd: 

So  if  thou  wilt,  rain,  O  god ! 

Herdsman:  The  stakes  are  driven  in,  unshakable; 

The  ropes  of  mufija-grass  are  new,  in  good  condition; 
Not  even  calves  will  be  able  to  burst  them: 
So  if  thou  wilt,  rain,  O  god ! 

Buddha:        Like  a  bull  I  have  burst  the  Bonds, 

As  an  elephant  sunders  a  galoci-creeper ; 

I  shall  not  again  enter  the  couch  of  the  womb: 

So  if  thou  wilt,  rain,  O  god ! 

Filling  both  marshy  land  and  dry, 

A  mighty  cloud  rained  down  straightway. 

Hearing  the  god  raining, 

Dhaniya  spoke  these  words : 

Herdsman:   It  is  indeed  our  very  great  privilege 
To  have  seen  the  Exalted  One; 
We  come  to  thee  for  Refuge,  O  Far-seeing  One! 
Be  thou  our  Teacher,  O  Mighty  Sage ! 

Both  my  wife  and  I  will  be  obedient. 
We  will  live  the  Holy  Life  under  the  Happy  One, 
We  will  go  to  the  farther  shore  of  Birth  and  Death, 
We  will  make  an  end  of  Suffering. 

Evil  One:       He  that  has  sons  rejoices  in  sons, 

The  cowlierd  likewise  rejoices  in  cows. 

For  increase  is  the  joy  of  a  man, 

Nor  does  he  rejoice  who  is  without  increase. 


Par.  67.]  Axe  in  Mouth  199 

Buddha:        He  that  has  sons  rejoices  in  sons, 

The  cowherd  likewise  rejoices  in  cows, 

For  increase  is  the  sorrow  of  a  man, 

Nor  does  he  sorrow  who  is  without  increase. 


67.  THE  AXE  IN  THE  MOUTH 

Every  man  is  born  with  an  axe  in  his  mouth. 
Sutta  Nipata  No.  36. 

On  a  certain  occasion  a  monk  named  Kokaliya  reviled  the  two  Chief 
Disciples,  and  in  consequence  of  that  evil  deed,  died  of  a  loathsome 
disease  and  was  reborn  in  Hell.  On  that  occasion  the  Buddha  preached 
the  Doctrine,  concluding  as  follows: 

For  when  a  human  being  is  born. 
An  axe  is  born  in  his  mouth 
Wherewith  he  cuts  himself, — the  fool ! 
By  speaking  evil  words. 

He  that  praises  the  blameworthy 
Or  blames  the  praiseworthy. 
Accumulates  an  ace  in  his  mouth 
Whereby  he  gets  no  happiness. 

The  merest  trifle  is  that  ace 

Which  costs  a  man  his  wealth  at  dice ; 

But  this  is  a  bigger  ace  by  far: 

Corrupting  men's  minds  against  the  Buddhas. 

He  who  tells  what  never  happened,  goes  to  Hell ; 
And  also  he  who,  having  done,  declares:  "I  did  it  not." 
They  both  are  equal  after  death, 
In  the  world  beyond, — men  of  base  deeds ! 

He  that  offends  against  the  offenseless. 

Against  the  man  that  is  free  from  impurity,  free  from  lust. 

Unto  that  very  fool  returns  that  evil  deed  again. 

Like  fine  dust  tossed  against  the  wind. 

He  that  is  given  to  the  vice  of  cupidity. 
Will  revile  others  in  his  speech ; 
He  will  be  faithless,  miserly,  ungenerous, 
Niggardly,  given  to  backbiting. 


200  Axe  in  Mouth  [Chap.  X. 

O  thou  foul-mouthed,  false,  ignoble  fellow ! 

Destroyer  of  increase  !  wicked  fellow  ! 

Lowest  of  men  !  ace  !  base-born  ! 

Speak  not  much  in  this  world !  thou  art  a  denizen  of  Hell ! 

Thou  dost  scatter  dust  to  thy  hurt; 

The  good,  thou  dost  reproach,- — thou  wrongdoer ! 

Now,  forasmuch  as  many  are  the  evil  deeds  that  thou  hast  done, 

Thou  hast  gone  to  Hell  to  remain  for  long. 

For  no  man's  deeds  are  ever  lost ; 
They  always  come  straight  back  to  him ; 
The  owner  gets  his  very  own. 
The  foolish  wrongdoer,  in  the  next  world, 
Experiences  suffering  in  his  own  person. 


CHAPTER  XI 

SIMILES  AND  SHORT  PARABLES  FROM  THE  QUESTIONS 

OF  MILINDA 

§1.  THERE  IS  NO  PERMANENT  INDIVIDUALITY 

Milindapanha  25-28. 

Now  King  Milinda  approached  Venerable  Nagasena.  Having  ap- 
proached, he  greeted  Venerable  Nagasena  in  a  friendly  manner.  Having 
completed  the  usual  friendly  greetings,  he  sat  down  on  one  side.  Ven- 
erable Nagasena  returned  the  compliment,  thereby  delighting  the  heart 
of  King  Milinda.  Then  King  Milinda  said  this  to  Venerable  Nagasena: 
"How  is  your  Reverence  known?  what  is  your  name.  Reverend  Sir? 

"As  'Nagasena,'  great  king,  am  I  known;  'Nagasena,'  great  king,  is 
what  my  fellow-religious  are  accustomed  to  call  me.  However,  although 
mothers  and  fathers  give  such  names  as  'Nagasena'  or  'Surasena'  or 
'Virasena'  or  'Sihasena,'  yet,  great  king,  this  'Nagasena'  is  only  a  con- 
ventional epithet,  designation,  appellation,  style, — a  mere  name.  For 
no  'individual'  is  thereby  assumed  to  exist." 

Then  King  Milinda  spoke  as  follows:  "Give  ear  to  me,  you  five  hun- 
dred Greeks  and  you  eighty  thousand  monks !  Njigasena  here  speaks  as 
follows:  'For  no  "individual"  is  thereby  assumed  to  exist.'  Is  it  reason- 
able to  accept  this?" 

Then  King  Milinda  said  this  to  Venerable  Nagasena:  "If,  Reverend 
Nagasena,  an  'individual'  is  not  assumed  to  exist,  who,  pray,  gives 
you  the  Requisites, — robes,  alms,  lodging,  medicines  for  the  relief  of 
the  sick?  Who  enjoys  them?  Who  keeps  the  Precepts?  Who  applies 
himself  to  the  Practice  of  Meditation?  Who  realizes  the  Paths  and  the 
Fruits  and  Nibbana  ?  Who  kills  living  beings  ?  Who  takes  what  is  not 
given?  Who  misconducts  himself  in  the  matter  of  the  Pleasures  of 
Sense?  Who  speaks  falsehood?  Who  drinks  intoxicants ?  Who  does  the 
five  evil  deeds  which  bring  immediate  retribution?  Ergo, — there  is  no 
good,  there  is  no  evil ;  there  is  no  one  who  either  does  or  causes  to  be 
done  either  good  or  evil  deeds;  there  is  no  fruition,  no  ripening,  of 
good  and  evil  deeds.  If,  Reverend  Nagasena,  he  that  kills  you  does  not 
exist,  then  it  is  also  true  that  he  does  not  take  life;  it  is  also  true, 
Reverend  Nagasena,  that  you  have  no  teacher,  no  preceptor,  no  recep- 
tion into  the  Order  of  ]Monks. 

"Now  you  say:  '  "Nagasena"  is  what  my  fellow-religious  are  accus- 
tomed  to   call   me.'    What   is    this    'Nagasena'    you    speak    of?    Pray, 


202  No  Permanent  IndhiduaUty  [Chap.  XI. 

Reverend  Sir,  is  the  hair  of  the  head  'Nagasena'.?"  "No  indeed,  great 
king."  "Is  the  hair  of  the  body  'Nagasena' .''"  "No  indeed,  great  king." 
"Are  the  nails,  the  teetli,  the  skin,  the  flesh,  the  sinews,  the  bones,  the 
marrow  of  the  bones,  the  kidneys,  the  heart,  the  liver,  the  peritoneum, 
the  spleen,  the  lungs,  the  intestines,  the  mesentery,  the  stomach,  the 
faeces,  the  bile,  the  phlegm,  the  pus,  the  blood,  the  sweat,  the  fat,  the 
tears,  the  serum,  the  saliva,  the  mucus  of  the  nose,  the  synovial  fluid, 
the  urine,  the  grey  matter  in  the  skull,— are  any  or  all  of  these  'Naga- 
sena'?"  "No  indeed,  great  king." 

"Pray,  Reverend  Sir,  is  Form  'Nagasena' .''"  "No  indeed,  great 
king."  "Is  Sensation  'Njigasena' ?"  "No  indeed,  great  king."  "Is  Per- 
ception 'Niigasena'.^"  "No  indeed,  great  king."  "Are  the  States  of 
Mind  'Nagasena'.''"  "No  indeed,  great  king."  "Is  Consciousness  'Naga- 
sena'.^"  "No  indeed,  great  king."  "Well,  Reverend  Sir!  Is  the  sum  total 
of  Form,  Sensation,  Perception,  the  States  of  Mind,  and  Consciousness, 
— is  this  'Nagasena'.?"  "No  indeed,  great  king."  "Well,  Reverend  Sir! 
Is  something  other  than  the  sum  total  of  Form,  Sensation,  Perception, 
the  States  of  Mind,  and  Consciousness, — is  this  'Nagasena' .-*"  "No  in- 
deed, great  king."  "Reverend  Sir,  I  have  asked  you  every  question  I 
can  think  of,  but  I  cannot  discover  'Nagasena' !  Apparently  'Nagasena' 
is  nothing  but  a  sound !  But,  Reverend  Sir,  what  is  there  about  all  this 
that  is  'Nagasena' .-*  Reverend  Sir,  you  utter  untruth,  you  utter  false- 
hood, when  you  say:  'There  is  no  "Nagasena."'"  Then  Venerable 
Nagasena  said  this  to  king  Milinda: 


68.  CHARIOT 

You,  great  king,  are  a  delicate  prince,  an  exceedingly  delicate 
prince.  If  you,  great  king,  being  the  kind  of  man  you  are,  travel 
on  foot  in  the  middle  of  the  day,  when  the  earth  has  become  heated, 
when  the  sand  is  hot,  treading  on  sharp  pebbles  and  gravel  and 
sand,  your  feet  ache,  your  body  grows  weary,  your  mind  is  dis- 
tressed, and  a  body-consciousness  associated  with  pain  arises 
within  3'ou.  Tell  mc, — did  you  come  on  foot  or  in  a  vehicle.'' — 

Reverend  Sir,  1  do  not  travel  on  foot ;  I  came  in  a  chariot. — 

If,  great  king,  you  came  in  a  cliariot,  tell  me  about  the  chariot. 
Pray,  great  king,  is  the  pole  the  "chariot".? — No  indeed,  Reverend 
Sir. 

Is  the  axle  the  "chariot".'' — No  indeed,  Reverend  Sir. 

Are  the  wheels  the  "chariot".'* — No  indeed,  Reverend  Sir. 

Is  the  chariot-body  the  "chariot".? — No  indeed.  Reverend  Sir. 

Is  the  flagstaff  of  the  chariot  the  "chariot".? — No  indeed, 
Reverend  Sir. 


Par.  68.]  The  Chariot  203 

Is  the  yoke  the  "chariot"  .f' — No  indeed,  Reverend  Sir. 

Are  the  reins  the  "chariot".? — No  indeed,  Reverend  Sir, 

Is  the  goad-stick  the  "chariot".? — No  indeed,  Reverend  Sir. 

Well,  great  king!  Is  the  sum  total  of  pole,  axle,  wheels,  chai'iot- 
body,  flagstaff,  yoke,  reins,  and  goad, — is  this  the  "chariot".? — 
No  indeed.  Reverend  Sir. 

Well,  great  king !  Is  something  other  than  the  sum  total  of  pole, 
axle,  wheels,  chariot-body,  flagstaff,  yoke,  reins,  and  goad, — is  this 
the  "chariot".? — No  indeed.  Reverend  Sir. 

Great  king,  I  have  asked  you  every  question  I  can  think  of,  but 
I  cannot  discover  the  "chariot" !  Apparently  the  "chariot"  is 
nothing  but  a  sound !  But,  great  king,  what  is  there  about  all  this 
that  is  the  "chariot".?  Great  king,  you  utter  untruth,  you  utter 
falsehood,  when  you  say :  "There  is  no  'chariot.'  "  You,  great 
king,  are  the  foi-emost  king  in  all  the  Land  of  the  Rose-apple.  Of 
whom,  pray,  are  you  afraid  that  you  utter  falsehood.? 

Give  ear  to  me,  you  five  hundred  Greeks  and  you  eighty  thou- 
sand monks  !  King  Milinda  here  speaks  as  follows :  "I  came  in  a 
chariot."  But  when  I  say  to  him:  "If,  great  king,  you  came  in  a 
chariot,  tell  me  about  the  chariot !"  he  cannot  prove  that  there  is 
any  chariot.  Is  it  reasonable  to  accept  this .? 

Hearing  this,  the  five  hundred  Greeks  applauded  Venerable  Naga- 
sena,  and  said  this  to  King  Milinda:  "Now,  great  king,  answer  if  you 
can!"  Then  King  Milinda  said  this  to  Venerable  Niigasena:  "Reverend 
Nagasena,  I  do  not  utter  falsehood.  Because  of  the  pole,  and  because  of 
the  axle,  and  because  of  the  wheels,  and  because  of  the  chariot-body, 
and  because  of  the  flagstaff,  the  epithet,  designation,  appellation,  style, 
name — 'chariot' — comes  into  use." 

"Great  king,  you  understand  perfectly  what  a  chariot  is.  And  pre- 
cisely the  same  thing,  is  true  with  reference  to  me  also.  Because  of  the 
hair  of  the  head,  and  because  of  the  hair  of  the  body,  and  because  of 
the  nails,  and  because  of  the  teeth,  and  because  of  the  skin,  and  because 
of  the  flesh,  and  because  of  the  sinews,  and  because  of  the  bones,  and 
because  of  the  marrow  of  the  bones,  and  because  of  the  kidneys,  and 
because  of  the  heart,  and  because  of  the  liver,  and  because  of  the  peri- 
toneum, and  because  of  the  spleen,  and  because  of  the  lungs,  and  be- 
cause of  the  intestines,  and  because  of  the  mesentery,  and  because  of 
the  stomach,  and  because  of  the  faeces,  and  because  of  the  bile,  and 
because  of  the  phlegm,  and  because  of  the  pus,  and  because  of  the 
blood,  and  because  of  the  sweat,  and  because  of  the  fat,  and  because 
of  the  tears,  and  because  of  the  serum,  and  because  of  the  saliva,  and 
because  of  the  mucus  of  the  nose,  and  because  of  the  synovial  fluid,  and 


204  No  Personal  Identity  [Chap.  XI. 

because  of  the  urine,  and  because  of  the  grey  matter  in  the  skull, — and 
because  of  Form,  and  because  of  Sensation,  and  because  of  Perception, 
and  because  of  the  States  of  Mind,  and  because  of  Consciousness, — 
because  of  all  these,  there  comes  into  use  the  epithet,  designation,  appel- 
lation, style,  name, — but  name  only, — 'Nagasena.'  In  the  highest  sense 
of  the  word,  however,  no  'individual'  is  thereby  assumed  to  exist.  More- 
over, great  king,  listen  to  what  the  nun  Vajira  said  in  the  presence  of 
the  Exalted  One: 

For  just  as  for  an  assemblage  of  parts 
The  term  "chariot"  is  employed. 
So,  when  the  Aggregates  are  present. 
The  expression  "living  being"  is  employed. 

"It  is  wonderful.  Reverend  Nagasena !  it  is  marvelous.  Reverend 
Niigasena!  Brilliant  beyond  measure,  highly  illuminating,  are  the 
answers  you  have  given  to  these  questions !  If  the  Buddha  were  stand- 
ing here,  he  would  give  his  applause.  Well  done,  well  done,  Nagasena ! 
Brilliant  beyond  measure,  highly  illuminating,  are  the  answers  you 
have  given  to  these  questions !" 

§2.  THERE  IS  NO  CONTINUOUS  PERSONAL  IDENTITY 

Milindapanha  40-41. 

Said  the  king:  "Reverend  Nagasena,  is  the  person  who  is  reborn  the 
same  person,  or  a  different  person.^"  Said  the  Elder:  "He  is  neither  the 
same  person  nor  a  different  person."  "Give  me  an  illustration." 

69.  EMBRYO  AND  CHILD 

What  do  you  think  about  this,  great  king.''  You  are  now  big. 
You  were  once  young,  tender,  weak,  lying  on  your  back.  Are  you 
the  same  person  now  that  you  were  then.'* 

No  indeed,  Reverend  Sir.  He  that  was  young,  tender,  weak, 
lying  on  his  back,  was  one  person ;  I,  big  as  I  am  now,  am  a  dif- 
ferent person. 

If  this  be  true,  great  king,  then  it  nmst  also  be  true  that  you 
never  had  a  mother,  that  you  never  had  a  father,  that  you  never 
had  a  teacher,  that  you  never  acquired  the  arts  and  crafts,  tliat 
you  never  took  upon  yourself  the  Precepts,  that  you  never 
acquired  a  store  of  merit.  Can  it  possibly  be  true,  great  king,  that 
the  mother  of  the  embryo  in  the  first  stage  of  development  is  one 
person,  that  the  motlier  of  the  embryo  in  the  second  stage  is 
another,   that  the  mother  of  the   embryo  in   the  third   stage   is 


Par.  71.]  Milk  and  Butter  205 

another,  that  the  mother  of  the  embryo  in  the  fourth  stage  is 
another.''  Is  the  mother  of  the  little  child  one  person,  and  the 
mother  of  the  grown  man  another  .f*  Is  it  one  person  who  acquires 
the  arts  and  crafts,  and  another  person  who  has  acquired  them.'' 
Is  it  one  person  who  does  evil  deeds,  and  another  person  whose 
hands  and  feet  are  cut  off.'' 

No  indeed.  Reverend  Sir.  But  how  about  you.  Reverend  Sir.'' 
suppose  that  same  question  were  put  to  you ;  what  would  you  have 
to  say  to  it.'' 

It  was  I  myself,  great  king,  who  was  once  young,  tender,  weak, 
lying  on  my  back;  it  is  I  myself  who  am  now  big.  Solely  because 
of  dependence  on  this  body,  all  these  are  embraced  in  one. — Give 
me  an  illustration. 

70.  LAMP  AND  FLAME 

Suppose,  great  king,  some  man  or  other  were  to  light  a  lamp. 
Would  that  lamp  burn  all  night  long.'' — Yes,  Reverend  Sir,  it  would 
burn  all  night  long. 

Well,  great  king,  is  the  flame  that  burns  in  the  first  watch  the 
same  as  the  flame  that  burns  in  the  middle  watch .? — No  indeed. 
Reverend  Sir. 

Is  the  flame  that  burns  in  the  middle  watch  the  same  as  the  flame 
that  burns  in  the  last  watch.'' — No  indeed,  Reverend  Sir. 

Well,  great  king,  was  the  lamp  one  thing  in  the  first  watch, 
something  different  in  the  middle  watch,  and  something  still  dif- 
ferent in  the  last  watch.'' — No  indeed.  Reverend  Sir.  The  lamp  was 
only  the  cause  of  the  flame  that  burned  all  night  long. 

"Precisely  so^  great  king,  there  is  an  uninterrupted  succession  of 
mental  and  physical  states.  One  state  ceases  to  exist  and  another  comes 
to  exist.  The  succession  is  such  that  there  is,  as  it  were,  none  that 
precedes,  none  that  follows.  Thus  it  is  neither  that  same  person  nor  yet 
a  different  person  which  goes  to  the  final  summation  of  consciousness." 
"Give  me  another  illustration." 

71.  MILK  AND  BUTTER 

Take  the  case  of  sweet  milk,  great  king.  Let  it  stand  for  a  time 
after  it  has  been  drawn,  and  it  will  turn  into  sour  milk ;  from  sour 
milk,  it  will  turn  into  fresh  butter,  and  from  fi-esh  butter  into 


206  Name-and-Form  [Chap.  XI. 

clai'ificd  butter.  Suppose,  great  king,  a  man  were  to  say :  "The 
sweet  milk  is  the  same  thing  as  the  sour  milk,  and  the  sour  milk  is 
the  same  thing  as  the  fresh  butter,  and  the  fresh  butter  is  the  same 
thing  as  the  clarified  butter."  Great  king,  would  a  man  speak 
correctly  who  said  such  a  thing  as  that.'' 

Xo  indeed.  Reverend  Sir.  The  milk  is  only  the  cause  of  the 
butter  which  comes. 

"Precisely  so^  great  king,  there  is  an  uninterrupted  succession  of 
mental  and  physical  states.  One  state  ceases  to  exist  and  another  comes 
to  exist.  The  succession  is  such  that  there  is,  as  it  were,  none  that 
precedes,  none  that  follows.  Thus  it  is  neither  that  same  person  nor 
yet  a  different  person  which  goes  to  the  final  summation  of  conscious- 
ness." 

"You  are  a  clever  man,  Reverend  Nagasena !" 

§3.  WHAT,  THEN,  IS  REBORN? 

Name-and-Form  is  reborn. 
Milindapanha  46-49. 

Said  the  king:  "Reverend  Nagasena,  what  is  reborn?"  Said  the  Elder: 
"Name-and-Form,  great  king,  is  reborn."  "Is  it  this  same  Name-and- 
Forra  that  is  reborn?"  "No,  great  king,  it  is  not  this  same  Name-and- 
Form  that  is  reborn.  On  the  contrarj^,  great  king,  with  one  Name-and- 
Form  ^amma  is  wrought,  a  man  does  good  or  evil  deeds,  and  by  the 
power  of  this  Kamma  another  Name-and-Form  is  reborn."  "If,  Reverend 
Sir,  it  is  not  this  same  Name-and-Form  that  is  reborn,  surely  the  man 
must  be  released  from  his  evil  deeds."  Said  the  Elder:  "If  he  were  7wt 
reborn,  he  would  be  released  from  his  evil  deeds ;  but  since,  great  king, 
he  is  reborn,  therefore  he  is  not  released  from  his  evil  deeds."  "Give 
me  an  illustration." 

72.  THEFT  OF  MANGOES 

Great  king,  it  is  precisely  as  if  some  man  or  other  were  to  steal 
mangoes  belonging  to  a  certain  man,  and  the  owner  of  the  mangoes 
were  to  catch  that  thief  and  were  to  arraign  him  befoi-e  the  king 
and  were  to  say,  "This  man,  your  majesty,  stole  my  mangoes," 
and  the  thief  were  to  say,  "Your  majesty,  I  didn't  steal  this  man's 
mangoes ;  the  mangoes  this  man  planted  are  one  thing,  and  the 
mangoes  I  stole  are  another;  I  am  not  guilty."  In  point  of  fact, 
great  king,  would  not  that  man  be  guilty.'' 


Par.  74.]  Lamp  under  Thatch  207 

Yes,  Reverend  Sir,  he  would  be  guilty. 

For  what  reason? 

No  matter  what  that  man  might  say.  Reverend  Sir,  he  would 
not  he  able  to  deny  that  the  last  mango  came  from  the  first,  and 
therefore  he  would  be  guilty  of  the  theft  of  the  last  mango. 

"Precisely  so,  great  king,  with  one  Name-and-Form  Kamma  is 
wrouglit,  a  man  does  good  or  evil  deeds,  and  by  the  power  of  this 
Kamma  another  Name-and-Form  is  reborn.  Therefore  he  is  not  re- 
leased from  his  evil  deeds."  "Give  me  another  illustration." 

Great  king,  it  is  precisely  as  if  some  man  were  to  steal  another 
man's  rice  .    .    .  sugar-cane  .    .    . 

73.  FIRE  IN  A  FIELD 

Great  king,  it  is  precisely  as  if  some  man,  in  the  winter-time,  were 
to  light  a  fire  and  warm  himself  and  then  go  away  without  putting 
it  out,  and  that  fire  were  to  set  fire  to  a  certain  man's  field,  and  the 
owner  of  the  field  were  to  catch  that  man  and  were  to  arraign  him 
before  the  king  and  wei-e  to  say,  "This  man,  your  majesty,  set 
fire  to  my  field,"  and  the  man  were  to  say,  "Your  majesty,  I  didn't 
set  fire  to  this  man's  field ;  the  fire  I  failed  to  put  out  is  one  thing, 
and  the  fire  that  set  fire  to  this  man's  field  is  another;  I  am  not 
guilty."  In  point  of  fact,  great  king,  would  not  that  man  be 
guilty  ? 

Yes,  Reverend  Sir,  he  would  be  guilty. 

For  what  reason .'' 

No  matter  what  that  man  might  say,  Reverend  Sir,  he  would 
not  be  able  to  deny  that  the  last  fire  came  from  the  first,  and 
therefore  he  would  be  guilty  of  setting  the  last  fire. 

74.  LAMP  UNDER  A  THATCH 

Great  king,  it  is  precisely  as  if  some  man  or  other  were  to  take 
a  lamp  and  were  to  climb  to  the  attic  of  a  thatched  house  and 
were  to  eat,  and  the  lamp  as  it  burned  were  to  set  fire  to  the  thatch, 
and  the  thatch  as  it  burned  were  to  set  fire  to  the  house,  and  the 
house  as  it  burned  were  to  set  fire  to  the  village,  and  the  village- 
folk  were  to  catch  that  man  and  were  to  say,  "Why,  Master  man, 
did  you  set  fire  to  the  village.?"  and  the  man  were  to  say,  "Friends, 


208  Name-and-Form  [Chap.  XI. 

I  didn't  set  fire  to  the  village ;  the  fire  of  the  lamp  by  whose  light 
I  ate  is  one  thing,  but  the  fire  that  burned  the  village  is  another." 
Suppose  they  carried  the  dispute  to  you.  Whose  side,  great  king, 
would  3'ou  take.'* 

The  side  of  the  village-folk.  Reverend  Sir. 

Why.? 

That  man  might  say  whatever  he  would,  but  all  the  same,  that 
last  fire  came  straight  from  the  first. 


75.  GIRL  AND  WOMAN 

Great  king,  it  is  precisely  as  if  some  man  or  other  were  to  choose 
a  young  girl  to  be  his  wife  and  were  to  pay  the  purchase-money 
and  were  to  go  his  way,  and  after  a  time  that  3'oung  girl  were  to 
become  a  grown  woman,  were  to  attain  her  majority,  and  then  a 
second  man  were  to  pay  the  purchase-money  and  were  to  marry 
her,  and  the  first  man  were  to  come  and  say,  "But  why,  Master 
man,  are  you  carrying  off  my  wife.^"'  and  the  second  man  were  to 
say,  "I  am  not  carrying  off  your  wife ;  that  young  girl  of  tender 
years  whom  you  chose  to  be  your  wife  and  for  whom  you  paid  the 
purchase-money  is  one  person ;  this  grown  woman  who  has  attained 
her  majority,  whom  I  chose  to  be  my  wife  and  for  whom  I  paid 
the  purchase-money,  is  another  person."  Suppose  they  carried 
the  dispute  to  you.  Whose  side,  great  king,  would  you  take.? 

The  side  of  the  first  man,  Reverend  Sir. 

Why.? 

That  man  might  say  whatever  he  would,  but  all  the  same,  that 
grown  woman  came  straight  from  that  young  girl. 

76.  MILK  AND  CURDS 

Great  king,  it  is  precisely  as  if  some  man  or  other  were  to  buy  a 
pot  of  milk  from  the  hands  of  a  cowherd,  and  were  to  place  it  in 
the  hands  of  that  same  cowherd  and  were  to  go  his  way,  saying, 
"To-morrow  I'll  come  and  get  it,"  and  on  that  morrow  that  milk 
were  to  turn  to  curds,  and  that  man  were  to  come  and  say,  "Give 
me  the  pot  of  milk,"  and  the  cowherd  were  to  show  him  the  curds, 
and  the  man  were  to  say,  "I  didn't  buy  curds  at  your  hands ;  give 
me  the  pot  of  milk !"  and  the  cowherd  were  to  say,  "I  didn't  know 


Par.  77.]  Germ  and  Egg  209 

your  milk  had  turned  to  curds !"  Suppose  they  carried  the  dispute 
to  you.  Whose  side,  great  king,  would  you  take.'' 

The  side  of  the  cowherd.  Reverend  Sir. 

Why.? 

That  man  might  say  whatever  he  would,  but  all  the  same,  those 
curds  came  straight  from  that  milk. 

"Precisely  so,  great  king,  although  one  Name-and-Form  comes  to  an 
end  at  death,  and  another  Name-and-Form  comes  into  existence  at 
rebirth,  nevertheless  the  second  comes  straight  from  the  first.  There- 
fore that  man  is  not  released  from  his  evil  deeds." 

"You  are  a  clever  man.  Reverend  Nagasena !" 

What  is  Name  and  what  is  Form? 

Said  the  king:  "Reverend  Nagasena, — ^but  as  for  this  expression 
which  you  employ, — Name-and-Form: — in  this  complex,  what  is 
Name?  what  is  Form?"  "Whatever  in  this  complex,  great  king,  is 
gross  and  coarse,  this  is  Form;  whatever  entities  in  this  complex  are 
fine,  of  the  mind,  mental,  these  are  Name."  "Reverend  Nagasena,  why 
is  it  that  Name,  all  by  itself,  is  not  reborn?  or  Form,  all  by  itself?" 
"Dependent  one  upon  the  other,  great  king,  are  these  entities;  they 
invariably  come  into  existence  together."  "Give  an  illustration." 

77.  GERM  AND  EGG 

Suppose,  great  king,  a  hen  had  no  germ  of  new  life  in  her.  In  that 
case  neither  would  there  be  any  egg.  Of  these  two, — germ  and  egg, 
— ^both  are  absolutely  dependent  the  one  upon  the  other;  they 
invariably  come  into  existence  together. 

"Precisely  so,  great  king,  if  in  this  complex  there  were  no  Name, 
neither  would  there  be  any  Form.  Of  these  two, — Name  and  Form, — 
both  are  absolutely  dependent  the  one  upon  the  other;  they  invariably 
come  into  existence  together.  Thus  has  Name-and-Form  been  brought 
into  existence  for  a  long  time." 

"You  are  a  clever  man.  Reverend  Nagasena !" 


§4.  TIME  HAS  NO  BEGINNING 

Milindapanha  50-51. 

Said  the  king:  "Reverend  Nagasena, — but  as  for  this  expression  which 
you  employ, — 'long  time' :  what  do  you  mean  by  this  word  'time'  ?" 
"Past  time,  great  king,  future  time,  present  time.   .    .    .  And  of  all  this 


210  Nothing  from  Nothing  [Chap.  XI. 

time  a  starting-point  is  unknown."  .  .  .  "But  as  for  this  state- 
ment which  you  make, — 'a  starting-point  is  unknown' :  give  an  illustra- 
tion of  this." 

78.  SEED  AND  FRUIT 

Great  king,  it  is  precisely  as  if  a  man  were  to  plant  a  tiny  seed 
in  the  earth,  and  from  that  seed  a  sprout  were  to  come  up  and 
in  the  course  of  time  were  to  attain  growth,  increase,  development, 
and  were  to  yield  fruit ;  and  as  if,  from  that  fruit,  the  man  were  to 
take  a  seed  and  plant  again,  and  from  that  seed  a  sprout  were  to 
come  up  and  in  the  course  of  time  were  to  attain  growth,  increase, 
development,  and  were  to  yield  fruit.  Is  there  any  end  to  this 
series .'' 

There  is  not,  Reverend  Sir. 

"Precisely  so,  great  king,  is  it  with  time  also;  of  it  no  starting-point 
is  known."  "Give  me  another  illustration." 

79.  EGG  AND  HEN 

Great  king,  it  is  precisely  as  if  you  had  an  egg  from  a  hen,  and 
a  hen  from  the  egg^  and  an  egg  from  the  hen.  Is  there  any  end  to 
this  series  .f'     - 

There  is  not,  Reverend  Sir. 

"Precisely  so,  great  king,  is  it  with  time  also ;  of  it  no  starting-point 
is  known."  "Give  me  another  illustration." 

80.  CIRCLE 

The  Elder  drew  a  circle  on  the  ground  and  said  this  to  King 
Milinda : 

Great  king,  is  there  any  end  to  this  circle.? 

There  is  not,  Reverend  Sir. 

"Precisely  so,  great  king,  is  it  with  time  also;  of  it  no  starting-point 
is  known." 

"You  are  a  clever  man.  Reverend  Nagasena !" 

§5.  OUT  OF  NOTHING  COMES  NOTHING 

Milindapanha  52-54. 

Said  King  Milinda  to  the  sage  Nagasena:  "Reverend  Nagasena,  are 
there  any  things  that  exist  whicli  come  out  of  things  that  did  not  exist?" 


Par.  84.]  Lyre  and  Sound  211 

"There  are  not,  great  king,  any  things  that  exist  which  come  out  of 
things  that  did  not  exist.  Only  out  of  things  that  existed,  great  king, 
come  thinas  that  exist."  "Give  me  an  illustration," 


81.  TIMBERS  AND  HOUSE 

Well,  what  do  you  think,  great  king.''  Did  this  house  where 
you  are  now  sitting  come  out  of  things  that  did  not  exist  .^^ 

There  is  not  a  single  thing  here,  Reverend  Sir,  which  came  out 
of  things  that  did  not  exist.  Only  out  of  things  that  existed  did  it 
come.  For  example,  Reverend  Sir,  these  timbers  existed  in  the 
forest,  and  this  clay  existed  in  the  earth.  Thus,  through  the  effort, 
through  the  exertion,  of  women  and  men,  did  this  house  come 
to  exist. 

"Precisely  so,  great  king,  there  are  not  any  things  that  exist  which 
come  out  of  things  that  did  not  exist.  Only  out  of  things  that  existed, 
great  king,  come  things  that  exist."  "Illustrate  the  point  further." 

82.  SEEDS  AND  PLANTS 

For  example,  great  king,  when  the  different  varieties  of  seed-life 
and  plant-life  are  placed  in  the  earth,  in  due  course  they  will  attain 
increase,  growth,  development,  and  will  yield  flowers  and  fruits. 
But  these  plants  do  not  come  out  of  things  that  did  not  exist. 
Only  out  of  things  that  existed  do  they  come. 

83.  CLAY  AND  VESSELS 

For  example,  great  king,  a  potter  takes  clay  out  of  the  earth  and 
makes  various  kinds  of  vessels.  But  these  vessels  do  not  come  out 
of  things  that  did  not  exist.  Only  out  of  things  that  existed  do 
they  come. 

84.  LYRE  AND  SOUND 

For  example,  great  king,  suppose  a  lyre  had  no  leaf,  had  no  skin, 
had  no  bowl,  had  no  handle,  had  no  neck,  had  no  strings,  had  no 
quill,  and  suppose  there  were  no  effort  or  exertion  on  the  part  of 
a  human  being, — would  any  sound  come  out.^* 

No  indeed.  Reverend  Sir. 

On  the  other  hand,  great  king,  if  the  lyre  had  a  leaf,  had  a 


212  Nothing  from  Nothing  [Chap.  XI. 

skin,  had  a  bowl,  had  a  handle,  had  a  neck,  had  strings,  had  a 
quill,  and  if  there  were  effort  and  exertion  on  the  part  of  a  human 
being, — a  sound  would  come  out.'' 

Yes,  Reverend  Sir,  a  sound  would  come  out. 

85.  FIRE-DRILL  AND  FIRE 

For  example,  great  king,  suppose  a  fire-drill  had  no  fire-stick, 
had  no  fire-stick  base,  had  no  fire-stick  cord,  had  no  upper  fire- 
stick,  had  no  rag,  and  suppose  there  were  no  effort  or  exertion  on 
the  part  of  a  human  being, — could  fire  be  produced.'' 

No  indeed.  Reverend  Sir. 

On  the  other  hand,  great  king,  if  the  fire-drill  had  a  fire-stick, 
had  a  fire-stick  base,  had  a  firc-stick  cord,  had  an  upper  fire-stick, 
had  a  rag,  and  if  there  were  effort  and  exertion  on  the  part  of  a 
human  being, — fire  could  be  produced.'' 

Yes,  Reverend  Sir,  fire  could  be  produced. 

86.  BURNING-GLASS  AND  FIRE 

For  example,  great  king,  suppose  there  were  no  burning-glass,  no 
heat  from  the  sun,  no  cow-dung, — could  fire  be  produced.'' 

No  indeed.  Reverend  Sir. 

On  the  other  hand,  great  king,  if  there  were  a  burning-glass, 
if  there  were  heat  from  the  sun,  if  there  were  cow-dung, — fire  could 
be  produced.'' 

Yes,  Reverend  Sir,  fire  could  be  produced. 

87.  MIRROR  AND  REFLECTION 

For  example,  great  king,  suppose  there  were  no  mirror,  no  light, 
no  face, — would  any  reflection  appear.'' 

No  indeed,  Reverend  Sir. 

On  the  other  hand,  great  king,  if  there  were  a  mirror,  if  there 
were  light,  if  there  were  a  face, — a  reflection  would  appear.? 

Yes,  Reverend  Sir,  a  reflection  would  appear. 

"Precisely  so,  great  king,  there  are  not  any  things  that  exist  which 
come  out  of  things  tliat  did  not  exist.  Only  out  of  things  that  existed, 
great  king,  come  things  that  exist." 

"You  are  a  clever  man,  Reverend  Nagasena !" 


Par.  89.]  Men  in  Palace  213 

§6.  THERE  IS  NO  SOUL 
Milindapanha  54-57. 

Said  the  king:  "Reverend  Nagasena,  do  you  assume  the  existence  of 
the  soul?"  "But,  great  king,  what  is  this  thing  you  call  the  'soul'?" 
"The  living  principle  within,  Reverend  Sir,  which  with  the  eye  sees 
visible  objects,  with  the  ear  hears  sounds,  with  the  nose  smells  odors, 
with  the  tongue  tastes  flavors,  with  the  body  touches  tangible  objects, 
with  the  mind  perceives  the  Doctrine: — just  as  we  here,  sitting  in  this 
palace,  may  look  out  of  whatever  window  we  please, — east,  west,  north, 
south, — so  also.  Reverend  Sir,  this  living  principle  within  looks  out  of 
whatever  door  it  pleases."  Said  the  Elder:  "Let  me  tell  you,  great 
king,  about  the  Five  Doors  of  the  Senses.  Hearken  to  this !  give  close 
attention !" 

88.  SIX  DOORS  OF  THE  SENSES 

If  there  is  a  living  principle  within  which  sees  visible  objects  with 
the  eye,  just  as  we,  sitting  in  this  palace,  may  look  out  of  whatever 
window  we  please, — east,  west,  north,  south, — can  this  living  prin- 
ciple within,  in  like  manner,  see  visible  objects  equally  well  with 
the  ear,  the  nose,  the  tongue,  the  body,  and  the  mind.?  Can  it  hear 
sounds  equally  well  with  the  eye,  the  nose,  the  tongue,  the  body, 
and  the  mind.?  Can  it  smell  odors  equally  well  with  the  eye,  the 
ear,  the  tongue,  the  body,  and  the  mind.?  Can  iL  taste  flavors 
equally  well  with  the  eye,  the  ear,  the  nose,  the  body,  and  the 
mind.?" Can  it  touch  tangible  objects  equally  well  with  the  eye,  the 
ear,  the  nose,  the  tongue,  and  the  mind.?  Can  it  perceive  the  Doc- 
trine equally  well  with  the  eye,  the  ear,  the  nose,  the  tongue,  and 
the  body.? 

No  indeed.  Reverend  Sir. 

But,  great  king,  what  you  said  last  does  not  agree  with  what 
you  said  first,  nor  does  what  you  said  first  agree  with  what  you 
said  last. 

89.  MEN  IN  PALACE 

But  again,  great  king,  take  ourselves  for  example.  You  and  I, 
sitting  in  this  palace,  with  these  lattice-windows  flung  open,  in 
broad  daylight,  with  our  faces  turned  outward,  see  visible  objects 
perfectly.  Can  this  living  principle  within,  also,  in  like  manner, 
when  the  doors  of  the  eyes  are  flung  open,  in  broad  daylight,  see 


214  There  Is  No  Soul  [Chap.  XI. 

visible  objects  perfectly.?  When  the  doors  of  the  ears  are  flung 
open,  when  the  door  of  the  nose  is  flung  open,  when  the  door  of  the 
tongue  is  flung  open,  when  the  door  of  the  body  is  flung  open,  in 
broad  daylight,  can  it  hear  sounds  perfectly,  smell  odors,  taste 
flavors,  touch  tangible  objects.'' 

No  indeed.  Reverend  Sir. 

But,  great  king,  what  you  said  last  does  not  agree  with  what 
you  said  first,  nor  does  what  you  said  first  agree  with  what  you 
said  last. 

90.  MAN  OUTSIDE  OF  GATEWAY 

But  again,  great  king,  suppose  Dinna  here  were  to  go  out  and 
stand  outside  of  the  gateway.  Would  you,  great  king,  know: 
*'Dinna  here  has  gone  out  and  stands  outside  of  the  gateway".? 

Yes,  Reverend  Sir,  I  should  know. 

But  again,  great  king,  suppose  Dinna  here  were  to  come  in 
and  stand  in  front  of  you.  Would  you,  great  king,  know :  "Dinna 
here  has  come  in  and  is  standing  in  front  of  me".? 

Yes,  Reverend  Sir,  I  should  know. 

In  just  the  same  way,  great  king,  in  case  a  flavor  were  placed 
on  the  tongue,  would  this  living  principle  within  know  whether  it 
was  sour  or  salt  or  bitter  or  pungent  or  astringent  or  sweet.? 

Yes,  Reverend  Sir,  it  would  know. 

But  after  that  flavor  has  passed  into  the  stomach,  would  the 
living  principle  then  know  whether  it  was  sour  or  salt  or  bitter  or 
pungent  or  astringent  or  sweet.? 

No  indeed,  Reverend  Sir. 

But,  great  king,  what  you  said  last  does  not  agree  with  what 
you  said  first,  nor  does  what  you  said  first  agree  with  what  you 
said  last. 

91.  MAN  IN  TROUGH  OF  HONEY 

Suppose,  great  king,  some  man  or  other  were  to  fetch  a  hundred 
pots  of  honey  and  were  to  fill  a  trough  of  honey  and  were  to  seal 
some  man's  lips  and  were  to  throw  that  man  into  the  trough  of 
honey.  Great  king,  would  that  man  know  whether  he  was  in  honey 
or  not.? 

No  indeed,  Reverend  Sir. 

Why? 


Par,  92.]  Embryo  of  Reptiles  215 

Because,  Reverend  Sir,  the  honey  could  not  get  into  his  mouth. 

But,  great  king,  what  you  said  last  does  not  agree  with  what 
you  said  first,  nor  does  what  you  said  first  agree  with  what  you 
said  last. 

"I  am  no  match  for  you  in  an  argument.  Be  good  enough  to  explain 
the  matter  to  me." 

The  Elder  enlightened  King  Milinda  with  a  discourse  on  Abhi- 
dhamma:  "Here  in  this  world,  great  king,  because  of  the  eye  and 
because  of  visible  objects  arises  the  sense  of  sight;  simultaneously  are 
produced  contact,  sensation,  perception,  thought,  focussing  of  thoughts, 
vitality,  attention.  Thus  do  these  physical  and  mental  states  originate 
from  a  cause,  for  there  is  no  soul  involved  in  any  of  them.  Because  of 
the  ear  and  because  of  sounds  arises  the  sense  of  sound;  because  of 
the  nose  and  because  of  odors  arises  the  sense  of  smell;  because  of  the 
tongue  and  because  of  flavors  arises  the  sense  of  taste;  because  of  the 
body  and  because  of  tangible  objects  arises  the  sense  of  touch.  Because 
of  the  mind  and  because  of  objects  of  thought  arises  mental  conscious- 
ness; simultaneously  are  produced  contact,  sensation,  perception, 
thought,  focussing  of  thoughts,  vitality,  attention.  Thus  do  these 
physical  and  mental  states  originate  from  a  cause^  for  there  is  no  soul 
involved  in  any  of  them." 

"You  are  a  clever  man.  Reverend  Nagasena !" 

§7.  WHY  DOES  NOT  THE  FIRE  OF  HELL  DESTROY  THE 

DENIZENS  OF  HELL.> 

Because  of  the  Power  of  Kamma. 
Milindapanha  67-68. 

Said  the  king:  "Reverend  Nagasena,  you  Buddhists  say:  'Far  hotter 
than  any  ordinary  fire  is  the  Fire  of  Hell.  A  tiny  stone,  cast  into  any 
ordinary  fire,  will  smoke  for  a  whole  day  and  not  crumble.  But  a 
rock  as  big  as  a  pagoda,  cast  into  the  Fire  of  Hell,  will  crumble  in  an 
instant.'  But  on  the  other  hand  you  also  say  this:  'As  for  the  living 
beings  that  are  reborn  in  Hell,  no  matter  how  many  thousands  of  years 
they  are  tormented  therein,  they  go  not  to  destruction.'  That  is  some- 
thing I  do  not  believe." 
Said  the  Elder : 

92.  EMBRYO  OF  REPTILES  AND  BIRDS 

What  do  you  think  about  this,  great  king.?  Do  not  female  sharks 
and  crocodiles  and  tortoises  and  peacocks  and  pigeons  swallow 
hard  stones  and  gravel.'' 


216  Fire  of  Hell  [Chap.  XI. 

Yes,  Reverend  Sir,  they  do. 

Now  these  hard  substances,  once  inside  of  their  abdomen,  once 
in  their  bell}^,  go  to  destiniction ;  do  they  not.'' 

Yes,  Reverend  Sir,  they  do. 

But  does  the  embryo  in  their  belly  also  go  to  destruction.'* 

No  indeed.  Reverend  Sir. 

For  what  reason.'* 

I  suppose.  Reverend  Sir,  it  is  because  of  the  Power  of  Kamma 
that  it  does  not  go  to  destruction. 

"Precisely  so,  great  king,  because  of  the  Power  of  Kamma,  the 
denizens  of  Hell,  no  matter  how  many  thousands  of  years  they  are 
tormented  in  Hell,  go  not  to  destruction.  Right  there  are  they  born, 
right  there  do  they  grow  up,  right  there  do  they  die.  Moreover,  great 
king,  this  was  said  by  the  Exalted  One:  'He  shall  not  die  so  long  as 
that  Evil  Kamma  is  not  exhausted.'  " 

"Give  me  another  illustration." 

93.  EMBRYO  OF  BEASTS  OF  PREY 

What  do  you  think  about  this,  great  king.?  Do  not  lionesses  and 
tigresses  and  leopardesses  and  bitches  eat  meat  with  hard  bones 
in  it.''  .    .   . 

94.  HUMAN  EMBRYO 

What  do  you  think  about  this,  great  king.''  Do  not  the  delicate 
princesses  of  the  Greeks  and  of  the  Warriors  and  of  the  Brahmans 
and  of  the  householders  eat  pieces  of  meat  that  are  hard  and 
tough .'' 

Yes,  Reverend  Sir,  tliey  do. 

Now  these  hard  substances,  once  inside  of  their  abdomen,  once 
in  their  belly,  go  to  destruction ;  do  they  not.f* 

Yes,  Reverend  Sir,  they  do. 

But  does  the  embryo  in  their  belly  also  go  to  destruction.'' 

No  indeed,  Reverend  Sir. 

For  what  reason  ? 

I  suppose.  Reverend  Sir,  it  is  because  of  the  Power  of  Kamma 
that  it  does  not  go  to  destruction. 

"Precisely  so,  great  king,  because  of  the  Power  of  Kamma,  the 
denizens  of  Hell,  no  matter  how  many  thousands  of  years  they  are 


Par.  94.]  Human  Embryo  217 

tormented  in  Hell,  go  not  to  destruction.  Right  there  are  they  born, 
right  there  do  they  grow  up,  right  there  do  they  die.  Moreover,  great 
king,  this  was  said  by  the  Exalted  One:  'He  shall  not  die  so  long  as 
that  Evil  Kamma  is  not  yet  exhausted.'  " 

"You  are  a  clever  man,  Reverend  Niigasena !" 


§8.  NIBBANA  IS  UNALLOYED  BLISS 

Milindapanha  313-315. 

"Reverend  Nagasena,  is  Nibbana  unalloyed  bliss,  or  is  it  alloyed  with 
pain.''"  "Nibbana,  great  king,  is  unalloyed  bliss;  it  is  not  alloyed  with 
pain."  "I,  Reverend  Nagasena,  do  not  believe  that  statement:  'Nib- 
bana is  unalloyed  bliss.'  This,  Reverend  Nagasena,  is  my  firm  convic- 
tion on  the  subject:  'Nibbjina  is  alloyed  with  pain.'  Now  I  have  a 
reason  to  give  for  this  statement:  'Nibb^ina  is  alloyed  with  pain.'  What 
is  the  reason  for  this .'' 

"Reverend  Nagasena,  in  the  case  of  all  those  who  seek  after 
Nibbana,  plainly  evident  are  their  effort  and  exertion  of  body  and 
mind,  their  self-restraint  in  standing  and  walking  and  sitting  and 
lying  and  eating,  their  suppression  of  sleep,  their  repression  of  the 
Organs  of  Sense,  their  renunciation  of  goods  and  grain  and  of  dear 
kinsfolk  and  friends. 

"Now  persons  in  the  world  who  are  happy,  who  are  endowed  with 
happiness,  all  with  one  accord  please  and  increase  their  Organs  of 
Sense:  the  eye  with  all  manner  of  delightful  visible  objects  which  yield 
pleasurable  reflexes ;  the  ear  with  songs  and  strains ;  the  nose  with 
odors  of  flowers,  fruits,  leaves,  bark,  roots,  essences ;  the  tongue  with 
flavors  of  hard  and  soft  food  and  of  sippings  and  drinkings  and  tast- 
ings ;  the  body  with  contacts  with  ob j  ects  both  delicate  and  fine,  both 
soft  and  mild;  the  mind  by  fixing  the  attention  of  the  thoughts  on  all 
manner  of  delightful  objects  of  thought,  both  good  and  evil,  both  pure 
and  impure. 

"But  you  strike  at  and  strike  down,  hew  at  and  hew  down,  obstruct 
and  impede,  the  increase  of  eye,  ear,  nose,  tongue,  body,  and  mind. 
Therefore  both  the  body  suffers  and  the  mind  suffers.  When  the  body 
suffers,  sensations  of  bodily  pain  are  experienced ;  when  the  mind 
suffers,  sensations  of  mental  pain  are  experienced.  Did  not  also  Magan- 
diya  the  wandering  ascetic,  in  railing  at  the  Exalted  One,  say  this:  'A 
Destroyer  of  Increase  is  the  monk  Gotama' }  This  is  my  reason  for 
saying:  'Nibbana  is  alloyed  with  pain.'  " 

"No  indeed,  great  king,  Nibbana  is  not  alloyed  with  pain;  Nibbana 
is  unalloyed  bliss.  Now,  great  king,  as  to  your  statement  that  Nibbana 
is  pain, — this  pain  is  not  Nibbana  at  all ;  this  is  only  the  beginning  of 
the  realization  of  Nibbana,  this  is  only  the  seeking  after  Nibbana. 
Nibbana,  great  king,  is  unalloyed  bliss,  pure  and  simple;  it  is  not 
alloyed  with  pain.  Let  me  explain  what  I  mean." 


218  Qualities  of  Nibbdna  [Chap.  XI. 

95.  BLISS  OF  SOVEREIGNTY 

Great  king,  do  kings  enjoy  the  bliss  of  sovereignty? — ^Yes,  Rev- 
erend Sir,  kings  enjoy  the  bliss  of  sovereignty. 

Now,  great  king,  is  this  bliss  of  sovereignty  alloyed  with  pain.? 
— No  indeed.  Reverend  Sir. 

But,  great  king,  what  have  you  to  say  to  this.?  When  a  border- 
province  breaks  into  insurrection,  in  order  to  quell  those  border- 
inhabitants,  kings  go  afield  with  their  retinues  of  ministers  and 
captains  and  soldiers  and  servants,  permit  themselves  to  be  tor- 
mented by  gnats  and  mosquitoes,  by  wind  and  sun,  hurry  this  way 
and  that  over  even  and  uneven  ground,  wage  mighty  battles,  and 
risk  their  lives ! 

Reverend  Nagasena,  this  is  not  the  bliss  of  sovereignty ;  this  is 
only  a  preliminary  to  the  quest  of  the  bliss  of  sovereignty.  With 
pain.  Reverend  Nagasena,  do  kings  seek  after  sovereignty;  then 
they  enjoy  the  bliss  of  sovereignty.  Thus,  Reverend  Nagasena,  the 
bliss  of  sovereignty  is  not  alloyed  with  pain.  Bliss  of  sovereignty 
is  one  thing;  pain  is  quite  another. 

"Precisely  so,  great  king,  Nibb^ina  is  unalloyed  bliss  ..." 

96.  BLISS  OF  KNOWLEDGE 

Great  king,  do  teachers  who  know  the  arts  and  crafts  enjoy  the 
bliss  of  the  arts  and  crafts.? — Yes,  Reverend  Sir,  teachers  who 
know  the  arts  and  crafts  enjoy  the  bliss  of  the  arts  and  crafts. 

Now,  great  king,  is  this  bliss  of  the  arts  and  crafts  alloyed  with 
pain.? — No  indeed,  Reverend  Sir. 

But,  great  king,  what  have  you  to  say  to  this.?  They  torture 
their  bodies  with  services  to  teachers,— by  rising  to  greet,  by 
rising  to  meet,  by  fetching  water  and  sweeping  houses  and  pre- 
senting toothsticks  and  water  for  rinsing  the  mouth,  by  accepting 
remnants  of  food  and  shampooing  and  bathing  and  dressing  the 
feet,  by  submission  of  their  own  wills,  by  compliance  with  the  wills 
of  others,  by  sleeping  in  discomfort,  by  eating  all  kinds  of  food! 

Reverend  Nagasena,  this  is  not  the  bliss  of  the  arts  and  crafts ; 
this  is  only  a  preliminary  to  the  quest  of  the  arts  and  crafts.  With 
pain.  Reverend  Nagasena,  do  teachers  seek  to  acquire  the  arts  and 
crafts;  then  they  enjoy  the  bliss  of  the  arts  and  crafts.  Thus, 


Par.  97.]  Great  Ocean  219 

Reverend  Nagasena,  the  bliss  of  the  arts  and  crafts  is  not  alloyed 
with  pain.  The  bliss  of  the  arts  and  crafts  is  one  thing;  pain  is 
quite  another. 

"Precisely  so,  great  king,  Nibbana  is  unalloyed  bliss;  it  is  not  al- 
loyed with  pain.  But  those  who  are  seeking  after  this  Nibbana,  torture 
both  body  and  mind.  They  restrain  themselves  in  standing  and  walking 
and  sitting  and  lying  and  eating ;  they  suppress  sleep ;  they  repress  the 
Organs  of  Sense ;  they  renounce  both  body  and  life.  However,  having 
sought  Nibbana  with  pain,  they  enjoy  a  Nibbana  which  is  unalloyed 
bliss,  just  as  teachers  enjoy  the  bliss  of  the  arts  and  crafts.  Thus, 
great  king,  Nibbana  is  unalloyed  bliss ;  it  is  not  alloyed  with  pain. 
Pain  is  one  thing;  Nibbana  is  quite  another." 

"Good,  Reverend  Nagasena!  So  it  is !  I  agree  absolutely!" 

§9.  NIBBANA  IS  UNLIKE  ANYTHING  ELSE 
Milindapanha  315-323. 

"Reverend  Niigasena,  you  are  continually  talking  about  Nibbana.  Now 
is  it  possible  to  make  clear  the  form  or  figure  or  age  or  dimensions  of 
this  Nibbana,  either  by  an  illustration  or  by  a  reason  or  by  a  cause  or 
by  a  method.''"  "Nibbana,  great  king,  is  unlike  anything  else;  it  is 
impossible."  "This,  Reverend  Nagasena,  I  cannot  admit, — that  if 
Nibbana  really  exists,  it  should  be  impossible  to  make  known  its  form 
or  figure  or  age  or  dimensions,  either  by  an  illustration  or  by  a  reason 
or  by  a  cause  or  by  a  method.  Tell  me  why."  "Let  be,  great  king;  I  will 
tell  you  why." 

97.  UNLIKE  ANYTHING  ELSE  IS  THE  GREAT  OCEAN 

Is  there,  great  king,  such  a  thing  as  the  great  ocean? — ^Yes, 
Reverend  Sir,  there  is  such  a  thing  as  the  great  ocean. 

If,  great  king,  some  man  were  to  ask  you :  "Great  king,  how 
much  water  is  there  in  the  great  ocean.''  And  how  many  living 
creatures  dwell  in  the  great  ocean  .P" — if,  great  king,  some  man 
were  to  ask  you  this  question,  how  would  you  answer  him.'' 

If,  Reverend  Sir,  some  man  were  to  ask  me:  "Great  king,  how 
much  water  is  there  in  the  great  ocean.''  And  how  many  living 
creatures  dwell  in  the  great  ocean.'"'  I,  Reverend  Sir,  should  say 
this  to  him :  "The  question  you  ask.  Master  man,  is  a  question  you 
have  no  right  to  ask;  that  is  no  question  for  anybody  to  ask;  that 
question  must  be  set  aside.  The  hair-splitters  have  never  gone  into 
the  subject  of  the  great  ocean.  It  is  impossible  to  measure  the 


220  Qualities  of  Nihbdna  [Chap.  XI. 

water  in  the  great  ocean,  or  to  count  the  living  beings  that  make 
their  abode  there."  That  is  the  reply  I  should  give  him,  Reverend 
Sir. 

But,  great  king,  if  the  great  ocean  really  exists,  why  should  you 
give  him  such  a  reply  as  that.?  Surely  you  ought  to  measure  and 
count,  and  then  tell  him:  "There  is  so  much  water  in  the  great 
ocean,  and  there  are  so  many  living  beings  dwelling  in  the  great 


ocean !" 


It's  impossible.  Reverend  Sir.  That  question  isn't  a  fair  one. 

"Great  king,  just  as,  although  the  great  ocean  exists,  it  is  impossible 
to  measure  the  water  or  to  count  the  living  beings  that  make  their 
abode  there,  precisely  so,  great  king,  although  Nibbana  really  exists, 
it  is  impossible  to  make  clear  the  form  or  figure  or  age  or  dimensions 
of  Nibbana,  either  by  an  illustration  or  by  a  reason  or  by  a  cause  or  by 
a  method.  Great  king,  a  person  possessed  of  magical  power,  possessed 
of  mastery  over  mind,  could  estimate  the  quantity  of  water  in  the  great 
ocean  and  the  number  of  living  beings  dwelling  there;  but  that  person 
possessed  of  magical  power,  possessed  of  mastery  over  mind,  would 
never  be  able  to  make  cleai?  the  form  or  figure  or  age  or  dimensions  of 
Nibbana,  either  by  an  illustration  or  by  a  reason  or  by  a  cause  or  by 
a  method. 

"Yet  again,  great  king,  hear  one  more  reason  why  this  is  impossible:" 

98.  UNLIKE  ANYTHING  ELSE  ARE  THE  GODS  WITHOUT 

FORM 

Are  there,  great  king,  among  the  gods,  gods  that  are  called  the 
Formless  Gods.'' — Yes,  Reverend  Sir,  according  to  sacred  lore, 
there  are,  among  the  gods,  gods  that  are  called  the  Formless  Gods. 

Now,  great  king,  in  the  case  of  these  Formless  Gods,  is  it  pos- 
sible to  make  clear  their  form  or  figure  or  age  or  dimensions, 
either  by  an  illustration  or  by  a  reason  or  by  a  cause  or  by  a 
method.? — No  indeed.  Reverend  Sir. 

Well  then,  Reverend  Sir,  there  are  no  Formless  Gods ! 

Reverend  Sir,  there  are  Formless  Gods !  But  it  is  not  possible 
to  make  clear  their  form  or  figure  or  age  or  dimensions,  either 
by  an  illustration  or  by  a  reason  or  by  a  cause  or  by  a  method. 

"Great  king,  just  as,  although  the  Formless  Gods  are  beings  that 
really  exist,  it  is  not  possible  to  make  clear  their  form  or  figure  or 
age  or  dimensions,  either  by  an  illustration  or  by  a  reason  or  by  a  cause 
or  by  a  method,  precisely  so,  great  king,  altliough  Nibbana  really  exists. 


Par.  100.]  Water  221 

it  is  not  possible  to  make  clear  its  form  or  figure  or  age  or  dimensions, 
either  by  an  illustration  or  by  a  reason  or  by  a  cause  or  by  a  method." 

Nibbnna,  however,  has  certain  qualities. 

"Reverend  Nagasena^  granted  that  Nibbana  is  unalloyed  bliss,  and 
that  it  is  impossible  to  make  clear  its  form  or  figure  or  age  or  dimen- 
sions, either  by  an  illustration  or  by  a  reason  or  by  a  cause  or  by  a 
method.  But,  Reverend  Sir,  has  Nibbana  any  qualities  in  common  with 
other  things, — something  that  might  serve  as  an  illustration  or 
example?" 

"In  the  matter  of  form,  great  king,  it  has  not.  But  in  the  matter  of 
qualities,  there  are  some  illustrations  and  examples  which  might  be 
employed." 

"Good,  Reverend  Nfigasena !  And  that  I  may  receive,  even  with 
reference  to  the  qualities  of  Nibbana,  some  little  light  on  a  single  point, 
speak  quickly !  Quench  the  fever  in  my  heart !  Subdue  it  with  the  cool, 
sweet  breezes  of  your  words !" 

Great  king,  Nibbana  has  one  quality  in  common  with  the  lotus. 

Two  qualities  of  water. 

Three  qualities  of  medicine. 

Four  qualities  of  the  great  ocean. 

Five  qualities  of  food. 

Ten  qualities  of  space. 

Three  qualities  of  the  wishing-jewel. 

Three  qualities  of  red-sandalwood. 

Three  qualities  of  the  cream  of  ghee. 

Nibbana  has  five  qualities  in  common  with  a  mountain-peak. 

99.  ONE  QUALITY  OF  THE  LOTUS 

Just  as  the  lotus  is  not  polluted  by  water,  so  also  Nibbana  is  not 
polluted  by  any  of  the  Depravities. 

100.  TWO  QUALITIES  OF  WATER 

Just  as  water  is  cool  and  quenches  fever,  so  also  Nibbana  is  cool 
and  quenches  every  one  of  the  Depravities. 

But  again  further, — water  subdues  the  thirst  of  the  races  of 
men  and  animals  when  they  are  tired  and  weary  and  thirsty  and 
overcome  with  the  heat.  Precisely  so  Nibbana  subdues  the  thirst 
of  Craving  for  the  Pleasures  of  Sense,  of  Craving  for  Existence, 
of  Craving  for  Power  and  Wealth. 


222  Qualities  of  Nibbana  [Chap.  XI. 

101.  THREE  QUALITIES  OF  MEDICINE 

Just  as  medicine  is  the  refuge  of  living  beings  oppressed  by 
poison,  so  also  Nibbana  is  the  refuge  of  living  beings  oppressed  by 
the  poison  of  the  Depravities. 

But  again  further, — medicine  puts  an  end  to  bodily  ills.  Pre- 
cisely so  Nibbana  puts  an  end  to  all  sufferings. 

But  again  further, — medicine  is  deathess.  Precisely  so  Nibbana 
is  the  Deathless. 

102.  FOUR  QUALITIES  OF  THE  GREAT  OCEAN 

Just  as  the  great  ocean  is  free  from  any  corpses,  so  also  Nibbana 
is  free  from  any  of  the  Depravities. 

But  again  further, — the  great  ocean  is  vast,  boundless,  fills  not 
up  for  all  of  the  streams  [that  flow  into  it].  Precisely  so  Nibbana 
is  vast,  boundless,  fills  not  up  for  all  of  the  living  beings  [that  pass 
thereunto]. 

But  again  further, — the  great  ocean  is  the  abode  of  mighty 
beings.  Precisely  so  Nibbana  is  the  abode  of  mighty  beings, — the 
mighty  Saints,  in  whom  there  is  no  stain,  in  whom  the  Contamina- 
tions are  extinct,  who  have  attained  unto  power,  who  have  become 
masters  of  self. 

But  again  further, — the  great  ocean  is  all  in  blossom,  as  it  were, 
with  the  flowers  of  its  waves, — mighty,  various,  unnumbered.  Pre- 
cisely so  Nibbana  is  all  in  blossom,  as  it  were,  with  the  Flowers  of 
Purity,  Knowledge,  and  Deliverance, — mighty,  various,  unnum- 
bered. 

103.  FIVE  QUALITIES  OF  FOOD 

Just  as  food  is  the  support  of  life  of  all  living  beings,  so  also 
Nibbana,  once  realized,  is  the  support  of  life,  for  it  destroys  old 
age  and  death. 

But  again  further, — food  increases  the  strength  of  all  living 
beings.  Precisely  so  Nibbana,  once  realized,  increases  the  strength 
of  the  Power  of  Magic  of  all  living  beings. 

But  again  further, — food  is  the  source  of  the  beauty  of  all 
living  beings.  Precisely  so  Nibbana,  once  realized,  is  the  source  of 
the  beauty  of  the  virtues  of  all  living  beings. 


Par.  106.]  Red-sandalwood  223 

But  again  further, — food  relieves  the  wear  and  tear  to  which  all 
living  beings  are  subject.  Precisely  so  Nibbana,  once  realized, 
relieves  the  wear  and  tear  to  which  all  living  beings  are  subject 
because  of  the  Depravities,  one  and  all. 

But  again  further, — food  dispels  the  weakness  of  hunger  in  all 
living  beings.  Precisely  so  Nibbana,  once  realized,  dispels  the 
weakness  of  hunger  produced  by  all  manner  of  sufferings  in  all 
living  beings. 

104.  TEN  QUALITIES  OF  SPACE 

Just  as  space  is  not  produced,  does  not  age,  does  not  suffer 
death,  does  not  pass  out  of  existence,  does  not  come  into  existence, 
cannot  be  forcibly  handled,  cannot  be  carried  away  by  thieves, 
rests  on  nothing,  is  the  pathway  of  birds,  presents  no  obstacles,  is 
endless, — so  also  Nibbana  is  not  produced,  does  not  age,  does  not 
suffer  death,  does  not  pass  out  of  existence,  does  not  come  into 
existence,  cannot  be  forcibly  handled,  cannot  be  carried  away  by 
thieves,  rests  on  nothing,  is  the  pathway  of  the  Noble,  presents  no 
obstacles,  is  endless. 

105.  THREE  QUALITIES  OF  THE  WISHING-JEWEL 

Just  as  the  wishing- jewel  fulfils  desires,  so  also  Nibbana  fulfils 
desires. 

But  again  further, — the  wishing- jewel  provokes  a  smile  of  satis- 
faction. Precisely  so  Nibbana  provokes  a  smile  of  satisfaction. 

But  again  further, — the  wishing-jewel  diffuses  lustre.  Precisely 
so  Nibbana  diffuses  lustre. 

106.  THREE  QUALITIES  OF  RED-SANDALWOOD 

Just  as  red-sandalwood  is  difficult  to  obtain,  so  also  Nibbana  is 
diffcult  to  obtain. 

But  again  further, — red-sandalwood  exhales  fragrance  which  is 
unequalled.  Precisely  so  Nibbana  exhales  fragrance  which  is  un- 
equalled. 

But  again  further, — -red-sandalwood  is  praised  by  the  well-born. 
Precisely  so  Nibbana  is  praised  by  the  Noble. 


224  Realization  of  Nihhana  [Chap.  XI. 

107.  THREE  QUALITIES  OF  THE  CREAM  OF  GHEE 

Just  as  the  cream  of  ghee  possesses  beauty,  so  also  Nibbana  pos- 
sesses beauty  of  quality. 

But  again  further, — the  cream  of  ghee  possesses  fragrance. 
Precisely  so  Nibbana  possesses  the  Fragrance  of  Morality. 

But  again  further, — the  cream  of  ghee  possesses  flavor.  Pre- 
cisely so  Nibbana  possesses  flavor. 

108.  FIVE  QUALITIES  OF  A  MOUNTAIN-PEAK 

Just  as  a  mountain-peak  is  exceedingly  lofty,  so  also  Nibbana  is 
exceedingly  lofty. 

But  again  further, — a  mountain-peak  is  immovable.  Precisely 
so  Nibbana  is  immovable. 

But  again  further, — a  mountain-peak  is  difficult  of  ascent. 
Precisely  so  Nibbana  is  difficult  of  ascent  for  the  Depravities,  one 
and  all. 

But  again  further, — on  a  mountain-peak  seeds,  any  and  all,  will 
not  grow.  Precisely  so,  in  Nibbana  the  Depravities,  any  and  all, 
will  not  grow. 

But  again  further, — a  mountain-peak  is  free  from  cringing  and 
repulsion.  Precisely  so  Nibbana  is  free  from  cringing  and  repul- 
sion. 

"Good,  Reverend  Nagasena !  It  is  even  so !  I  agree  absolutely !" 

§10.  NIBBANA  IS  NEITHER  PAST  NOR  FUTURE  NOR 

PRESENT 

It  is  neither  produced  nor  not  produced  nor  to  be  produced. 
Yet  it  exists,  and  may  he  realized. 

Milindapanha  323-326. 

"Reverend  Nagasena,  you  Buddhists  say:  'Nibbfina  is  neither  past  nor 
future  nor  present;  it  is  neither  produced  nor  not  produced  nor  to  be 
produced.'  With  reference  to  this  point,  Reverend  Nagasena, — does  the 
person  who,  by  ordering  liis  walk  aright,  realizes  Nibbana,  realize 
something  which  has  already  been  produced.'' — or  does  he  first  produce 
it  and  then  realize  it.''" 

"Whoever,  great  king,  by  ordering  his  walk  aright,  realizes  Nibbana, 


Par.  110.]  Escape  frovi  Corpses  225 

neither  realizes  something  which  has  already  been  produced,  nor  first 
produces  and  then  realizes  it.  Nevertheless,  great  king,  this  clement 
Nibbana,  which  whoever  orders  liis  walk  aright  realizes,  exists." 

"Do  not.  Reverend  Nagasena,  throw  light  on  this  question  by  cover- 
ing it;  throw  light  on  it  by  uncovering  it,  by  making  it  manifest.  Rouse 
your  will !  rouse  your  effort !  pour  out  on  this  very  point  all  that  you 
have  learned  from  your  training.  On  this  point  this  people  here  is 
bewildered,  perplexed,  plunged  in  doubt.  Destroy  this  arrow  within !" 

"Great  king,  this  element  Nibbfina  exists, — peaceful,  blissful,  sub- 
lime; and  whoever  orders  his  walk  aright,  whoever,  in  accordance  with 
the  teaching  of  the  Conquerors,  through  wisdom,  grasps  the  Aggre- 
gates, realizes  Nibbana.  Great  king,  just  as  a  pupil,  by  following  the 
instructions  of  his  teacher,  through  wisdom,  realizes  what  is  to  be 
known,  precisely  so,  great  king,  a  man,  by  ordering  his  walk  aright, 
by  following  the  teaching  of  the  Conquerors,  by  wisdom,  realizes 
Nibbana. 

"But  how  is  Nibbana  to  be  viewed.''  By  its  freedom  from  trouble,  by 
its  freedom  from  adversity,  by  its  freedom  from  peril,  by  its  security, 
by  its  peace,  by  its  bliss,  by  its  sweetness,  by  its  sublimity,  by  its 
purity,  by  its  coolness." 


109.  ESCAPE  FROM  A  BON-FIRE 

Great  king,  just  as  a  man  bui-ning  in  a  blazing,  crackling  fire 
heaped  up  with  many  faggots,  escaping  therefrom  with  effort, 
entering  a  place  free  from  fire,  will  there  experience  supreme  bliss, 
precisely  so,  great  king,  whoever  orders  his  walk  aright,  will,  by 
diligent  mental  effort,  realize  Nibbana,  Supreme  Bliss,  from  which 
the  torment  of  the  Three-fold  Fire  is  absent. 

"Great  king,  the  fire  of  faggots  is  to  be  viewed  as  the  Three-fold 
Fire ;  the  man  in  the  fire  is  to  be  viewed  as  the  man  who  orders  his  walk 
aright;  the  place  free  from  fire  is  to  be  viewed  as  Nibbcina." 


110.  ESCAPE  FROM  A  HEAP  OF  CORPSES 

Or  again,  great  king,  just  as  a  man  in  a  heap  of  fragments  of 
corpses  and  excrement  of  snakes  and  dogs  and  men,  enmeshed  in 
the  tangled  tangles  of  corpses,  escaping  therefrom  with  effort, 
entering  a  place  free  from  corpses,  will  there  experience  supreme 
bliss,  precisely  so,  great  king,  Avhoever  orders  his  walk  aright,  will, 
by  diligent  mental  effort,  realize  Nibbana,  Supreme  Bliss,  from 
Avhich  the  torment  of  the  Three-fold  Fire  is  absent. 


226  Realization  of  Nibbana  [Chap.  XI. 

"Great  king,  the  corpses  are  to  be  viewed  as  the  Five  Pleasures  of 
Sense;  the  man  among  the  corpses  is  to  be  viewed  as  the  man  who 
orders  his  walk  aright;  the  place  free  from  corpses  is  to  be  viewed  as 
Nibbana." 

111.  ESCAPE  FROM  PERIL 

Or  again,  great  king,  just  as  a  man,  frightened,  trembling,  quak- 
ing, his  thoughts  whirling  and  twirling,  escaping  from  that  peril 
with  effort,  entering  a  place  that  is  firm  and  fast  and  immovable 
and  free  from  peril,  will  there  experience  supreme  bliss,  precisely 
so,  great  king,  whoever  orders  his  walk  aright,  will,  by  diligent 
mental  effort,  realize  Nibbana,  Supreme  Bliss,  from  which  the 
torment  of  the  Three-fold  Fire  is  absent. 

"Great  king,  the  peril  is  to  be  viewed  as  the  perils  which  proceed 
forth,  one  after  another,  from  Birth,  Old  Age,  Disease,  and  Death; 
the  man  in  a  fright  is  to  be  viewed  as  the  man  who  orders  his  walk 
aright ;  the  place  free  from  peril  is  to  be  viewed  as  Nibbana." 


112.  ESCAPE  FROM  MUD 

Or  again,  great  king,  just  as  a  man  fallen  in  a  place  that  is  foul 
and  filthy,  full  of  mud  and  mire,  removing  that  mud  and  mire  with 
effort,  going  to  a  place  that  is  perfectly  clean,  free  from  filth,  will 
there  experience  supreme  bliss,  precisely  so,  great  king,  whoever 
orders  his  walk  aright,  will,  by  diligent  mental  effort,  realize 
Nibbana,  from  which  the  filth  and  mire  of  the  Depravities  is  absent. 

"Great  king,  the  mud  is  to  be  viewed  as  gain  and  honor  and  fame; 
the  man  in  the  mud  is  to  be  viewed  as  the  man  who  orders  his  walk 
aright ;  the  place  that  is  perfectly  clean,  free  from  filth,  is  to  be  viewed 
as  Nibbana. 

Hozv  does  a  man  "order  his  walk  aright"? 

"Now  as  to  the  statement:  'A  person,  by  ordering  his  walk  aright, 
realizes  Nibbana.'  What  is  meant  by  the  expression:  'by  ordering  his 
walk  aright'.'*" 

"Whoever,  great  king,  orders  his  walk  aright,  grasps  the  course  of 
the  Aggregates.  Grasping  their  course,  he  sees  therein  Birth,  he  sees 
therein  Old  Age,  he  sees  therein  Disease,  he  sees  therein  Death.  He  sees 
therein  nothing  that  is  pleasant,  nothing  that  is  agreeable;  from  the 
beginning  to  the  middle  to  the  end  he  sees  nothing  therein  >vhich  it  is 
possible  for  him  to  lay  hold  of." 


Par.  114.]  Bon- fire  227 

113.  RED-HOT  IRON  BALL 

Great  king,  just  as  in  the  case  of  a  man  who,  when  an  iron  ball 
has  been  heated  all  day  until  it  blazes  and  glows  and  crackles, 
from  the  beginning  to  the  middle  to  the  end  sees  no  spot  which  it 
is  possible  for  him  to  lay  hold  of,  precisely  so,  great  king,  in  the 
case  of  a  man  who  grasps  the  course  of  the  Aggregates ; — grasp- 
ing their  course,  he  sees  therein  Birth,  he  sees  therein  Old  Age,  he 
sees  therein  Disease,  he  sees  therein  Death ;  he  sees  therein  nothing 
that  is  pleasant,  nothing  that  is  agreeable;  from  the  beginning 
to  the  middle  to  the  end  he  sees  nothing  which  it  is  possible  for 
him  to  lay  hold  of.  When  he  sees  that  there  is  nothing  which  it  is 
possible  for  him  to  lay  hold  of,  discontent  springs  up  and  abides 
in  his  heart,  a  fever  descends  upon  his  body;  being  without  pro- 
tection, without  a  refuge,  refugeless,  he  conceives  disgust  for  the 
Existences. 

114.  BON-FIRE 

Suppose,  great  king,  a  man  were  to  enter  a  mighty  mass  of  fire  of 
flaming  flames ;  being  without  protection  there,  without  a  refuge, 
refugeless,  he  would  conceive  disgust  for  the  fire.  Precisely  so, 
great  king,  when  the  man  in  question  sees  that  there  is  nothing 
which  it  is  possible  for  him  to  lay  hold  of,  discontent  springs  up 
and  abides  in  his  heart,  a  fever  descends  upon  his  body;  being 
without  protection,  without  a  refuge,  refugeless,  he  conceives  dis- 
gust for  the  Existences. 

When  he  sees  the  perils  in  the  course  of  the  Aggregates,  the 
following  thought  arises  within  him:  "Red-hot,  indeed,  is  this 
course  of  the  Aggregates, — flaming  and  blazing,  full  of  suffering, 
full  of  despair!  If  only  one  might  obtain  cessation  of  the  course 
of  the  Aggregates, — that  were  good,  that  were  excellent ! — 
namely,  quiescence  of  all  the  Aggregates,  riddance  of  all  the  Con- 
ditions of  Existence,  destruction  of  Craving,  freedom  from  Lust, 
Cessation,  Nibbana !"  Thus  indeed  these  thoughts  of  his  spring 
forward  to  the  cessation  of  the  course  of  the  Aggregates,  are 
satisfied,  bristle  with  jo}'',  leap  for  joy:  "I  have  indeed  gained 
Escape  from  the  Round  of  Existences !" 


228  Nibbdna  Is  Not  a  Place  [Chap.  XI. 

115.  TRAVELER  WHO  HAS  LOST  HIS  WAY 

Great  king,  just  as  a  man  traveling  in  an  unfamiliar  region  who 
has  lost  his  way,  upon  seeing  a  path  which  will  take  him  out, 
springs  forward  thereto,  is  satisfied,  bristles  with  joy,  leaps  for 
joy:  "I  have  gained  a  path  which  will  take  me  out!"  precisely  so, 
great  king,  the  thoughts  of  a  man  who  sees  the  perils  in  the  course 
of  the  Aggregates,  spring  forward  to  the  cessation  of  the  course 
of  the  Aggregates,  are  satisfied,  bristle  for  joy,  leap  for  joy: 
"I  have  indeed  gained  Escape  from  the  Round  of  Existences !" 

To  cessation  of  the  course  of  the  Aggregates  he  battles,  seeks, 
cultivates,  broadens,  a  way.  To  that  end  mindfulness  abides  stead- 
fast in  him,  to  that  end  vigor  abides  steadfast  in  him,  to  that  end 
joy  abides  steadfast  in  him.  As  he  continues  mental  effort  from 
one  point  to  another,  those  thoughts  of  his  leap  over  the  course  of 
the  Aggregates  and  descend  upon  cessation  of  the  course  of  the 
Aggregates ;  then  he  has  reached  cessation  of  the  course  of  the 
Aggregates. 

"This,  great  king,  is  what  is  meant  by  the  statement:  'A  person,  by 
ordering  his  walk  aright,  realizes  Nibbana.'  " 

"Good,  Reverend  Nagasena !  It  is  just  as  you  say!  I  agree  abso- 
lutely !" 

§11.  NIBBANA  IS  NOT  A  PLACE 
Milindapanha  326-328. 

"Reverend  Nagasena,  is  this  region  in  the  East,  or  in  the  South,  or  in 
the  West,  or  in  the  North,  or  above  or  below  or  across, — this  region 
where  Nibbana  is  located?" 

"Great  king,  the  region  does  not  exist,  either  in  the  East,  or  in  the 
South,  or  in  the  West,  or  in  the  North,  or  above  or  below  or  across, 
where  Nibbiina  is  located." 

"If,  Reverend  Nagasena,  there  is  no  place  where  Nibbana  is  located, 
then  there  is  no  Nibbana ;  and  as  for  those  who  liave  realized  Nibbana, 
their  realization  also  is  vain.  Let  me  tell  you  why  I  think  so:" 

110.  FIELDS  AND  CROPS 

Reverend  Nagasena,  just  as  on  earth,  a  field  is  the  place  of 
origin  of  crops,  a  flower  is  the  place  of  origin  of  odors,  a  bush  is 
the  place  of  origin  of  flowers,  a  tree  is  the  place  of  origin  of  fruits, 


Par.  118,]  Seven  Jewels  of  a  King  229 

a  mine  is  the  place  of  origin  of  jewels,  insomuch  that  whoever 
desires  anything,  has  but  to  go  to  the  proper  place  and  get  it, — 
precisely  so.  Reverend  Nagasena,  if  Nibbana  really  exists,  it  also 
follows  that  a  place  of  origin  of  this  Nibbana  must  be  postulated. 
But  since,  Reverend  Nagasena,  there  is  no  place  of  origin  of  Nib- 
bana, therefore  I  say :  There  is  no  Nibbana ;  and  as  for  those  who 
have  realized  Nibbana:  Their  realization  also  is  vain. 

"Great  king,  there  is  no  place  where  Nibbana  is  located.  Neverthe- 
less, this  Nibbana  really  exists ;  and  a  man,  by  ordering  his  walk 
aright,  by  diligent  mental  effort,  realizes  Nibbana." 

117.  FIRE-STICKS  AND  FIRE 

Great  king,  just  as  there  is  such  a  thing  as  fire,  but  no  place 
where  it  is  located, — the  fact  being  that  a  man,  by  rubbing  two 
sticks  together,  produces  fire, — so  also,  great  king,  there  is  such 
a  thing  as  Nibbana,  but  no  place  where  it  is  located, — the  fact 
being  that  a  man,  by  ordering  his  walk  aright,  by  diligent  mental 
effort,  realizes  Nibbana. 

118.  SEVEN  JEWELS  OF  A  KING 

Ob  again,  great  king,  just  as  there  are  Seven  Jewels  of  a  King, 
to  wit,  the  Jewel  of  the  Wheel  of  Empire,  the  Jewel  of  the  Ele- 
phant, the  Jewel  of  the  Horse,  the  Jewel  of  the  Gem,  the  Jewel 
of  the  Woman,  the  Jewel  of  the  Householder,  the  Jewel  of  the  Cap- 
tain,— but  no  place  exists  where  these  Jewels  are  located, — the  fact 
being  that  a  Prince,  by  ordering  his  walk  aright,  by  a  right  walk, 
comes  by  these  Jewels, — precisely  so,  great  king,  there  is  such  a 
thing  as  Nibbana,  but  no  place  where  it  is  located, — the  fact  being 
that  a  man,  by  ordering  his  walk  aright,  by  diligent  mental  effort. 
Idealizes  Nibbana. 

"Reverend  Nagasena,  let  it  be  granted  that  there  is  no  place  where 
Nibbana  is  located.  But  is  there  a  place  where  a  man  must  stand  to 
order  his  walk  aright  and  realize  Nibbana?" 

Morality  is  the  Place  of  Origin  of  Nibbana. 

"Yes,  great  king,  there  is  a  place  where  a  man  must  stand  to  order 
his  walk  aright  and  realize  Nibbana." 


230  Did  Buddha  Ever  Exist?  [Chap.  XI. 

"But  what,  Reverend  Sir,  is  the  place  where  a  man  must  stand  to 
order  his  walk  aright  and  realize  Nibbana?" 

"Morality,  great  king,  is  the  place!  Abiding  steadfast  in  Morality, 
putting  forth  diligent  mental  effort, — whether  in  the  land  of  the 
Scythians  or  in  the  land  of  the  Greeks,  whether  in  China  or  in  Tartary, 
whether  in  Alexandria  or  in  Nikumba,  whether  in  Kasi  or  in  Kosala, 
whether  in  Cashmere  or  in  Gandhara,  whether  on  a  mountain-top  or  in 
the  highest  heaven, — no  matter  where  a  man  may  stand,  by  ordering 
his  walk  aright,  he  realizes  Nibbana." 

"Good,  Reverend  Njlgasena !  You  have  made  it  plain  what  Nibbana 
is,  you  have  made  it  plain  what  the  realization  of  Nibbfina  is,  you  have 
well  described  the  Power  of  Morality,  jo\x  have  made  it  plain  how  a 
man  orders  his  walk  aright,  you  have  uplifted  the  Banner  of  Truth, 
you  have  set  the  Eye  of  Truth  in  its  socket,  you  have  demonstrated 
that  Right  Effort  on  the  part  of  those  who  put  forth  diligent  effort  is 
not  barren.  It  is  just  as  you  say,  most  excellent  of  excellent  teachers !  I 
agree  absolutely !" 


§12.  HOW  DO  WE  KNOW  THAT  THE  BUDDHA  EVER 

EXISTED? 

Milindapanha  329-341. 

Now  King  Milinda  approached  Venerable  Nagasena.  Having  ap- 
proached, he  bowed  to  Venerable  Nagasena  and  sat  down  on  one  side. 
Sitting  on  one  side,  King  INIilinda,  desiring  to  know,  desiring  to  hear, 
desiring  to  bear  in  mind,  desiring  to  see  the  Light  of  Knowledge, 
desiring  to  rend  Ignorance  asunder,  desiring  to  make  the  Light  of 
Knowledge  rise,  desiring  to  destroy  the  Darkness  of  Ignorance,  sum- 
moning up  surjjassing  courage  and  energy  and  mindfulness  and  in- 
telligence, said  this  to  Venerable  Nagasena: 

"Reverend  NJigasena, — but  did  you  ever  see  the  Buddlia?" — "No 
indeed,  great  king." 

"But  did  your  teachers  ever  see  the  Buddha?" — "No  indeed,  great 
ing. 

"Reverend  Nagasena,  you  say  you  never  saw  the  Buddha,  and  you 
say  your  teachers  never  saw  the  Buddha  either.  Well  then.  Reverend 
Nagasena,  the  Buddha  never  existed !  for  there  is  nothing  liere  to  show 
that  he  ever  did  !" 

How  do  "we  know  that  Kings  existed  of  old? 

"But,  great  king,  did  Kings  exist  of  old, — those  wlio  were  your 
predecessors  in  the  line  of  Kings?" — "Yes,  Reverend  Sir, — why 
doubt?  Kings  did  exist  of  old, — those  who  were  my  predecessors  in 
the  line  of  Kings."  • 


Par.  119.]  Builder  of  City  231 

"Did  you,  great  king,  ever  see  those  Kings  of  old?" — "No  indeed, 
Reverend  Sir." 

"But,  great  king,  did  those  who  instructed  you, — house-priests, 
commanders-in-chief,  judges,  ministers, — did  they  ever  see  those 
Kings  of  old.^" — "No  indeed.  Reverend  Sir." 

"But,  great  king,  if  you  never  saw  those  Kings  of  old,  and  if,  as 
you  say,  your  instructors  never  saw  those  Kings  of  old  either, — where 
are  those  Kings  of  old.'' — for  there  is  nothing  here  to  show  that  those 
Kings  of  old  ever  existed !" 

We  know  that  Kings  existed  of  old  hy  what  they  have  left  us. 

"Visible,  Reverend  Nagasena,  are  the  insignia  employed  by  Kings 
of  old,  to  wit,  the  white  parasol,  the  diadem,  the  slippers,  the  yak's 
tail  fan,  the  jeweled  sword,  and  the  couches  of  great  price.  By  tliese, 
we  may  know  and  believe:  'Kings  existed  of  old.'  " 

So  is  it  in  the  case  of  the  Buddha. 

"Precisely  so,  great  king,  we  also,  with  reference  to  that  Exalted 
One,  may  know  and  believe.  There  is  a  reason  why  we  may  know  and 
believe:  'That  Exalted  One  existed.'  What  is  the  reason?  There  exist, 
great  king,  the  insignia  employed  by  that  Exalted  One,  the  All-knowing 
One,  the  All-seeing  One,  the  All-worthy,  the  Supremely  Enlightened, 
the  Buddha;  to  wit,  the  Four  Intent  Contemplations,  the  Four  Right 
Exertions,  the  Four  Bases  of  Magical  Power,  the  Five  Sensations,  the 
Five  Forces,  the  Seven  Prerequisites  of  Enlightenment,  the  Noble  Eight- 
fold Path.  By  these,  the  world  of  men  and  the  Worlds  of  the  Gods 
know  and  believe:  'That  Exalted  One  existed.'  This,  great  king,  is  the 
reason,  this  is  the  cause,  this  is  the  way,  this  is  the  method  of  infer- 
ence, by  which  it  is  to  be  known:  'That  Exalted  One  existed.'  " 

"As  for  him  who  ferried  a  multitude  over  the  Ocean  of  Rebirth, 
Who,  by  destroying  the  Constituents  of  Being,  attained  Nibbana, 
By  inference  may  it  be  known :  'That  Best  of  Men  existed.'  " 

"Reverend  Nagasena,  give  an  illustration." 

119.  THE  BUILDER  OF  A  CITY  IS  KNOWN  BY  HIS  CITY 

Take  the  case,  great  king,  of  the  builder  of  a  city.  Desiring  to 
create  a  city,  he  would  first  of  all  look  out  a  spot  of  ground  which 
was  smooth,  without  elevations,  without  depressions,  free  from 
stones  and  rocks,  immune  from  attack,  faultless,  pleasing  to  the 
eye.  The  rough  places  therein,  he  would  make  smooth ;  stumps  and 
brambles  he  would  clear  away.  There  he  would  create  a  city, — 
resplendent,  well-proportioned,  divided  into  parts,  with  trenches 


232  Did  Buddha  Ever  Exist?  [Chap.  XI. 

and  ramparts  thrown  up,  with  strong  gates  and  towers  and  forti- 
fications, with  broad  commons  and  squares  and  junctions  and 
crossroads,  with  clean,  smooth-surfaced  king's  highway's,  with 
well-proportioned  open  shops,  furnished  with  groves  and  gardens 
and  lakes  and  lotus-pools  and  wells,  adorned  with  all  manner  of 
holy  places,  free  from  all  faults.  When  that  city  was  complete  in 
every  way,  he  would  go  to  another  country.  And  after  a  time  that 
city  would  become  prosperous,  flourishing,  plentifully  supplied 
with  food,  secure,  highly  prosperous,  happy,  free  from  trouble, 
immune  from  attack,  the  resort  of  all  sorts  and  conditions  of  men. 
And  all  sorts  and  conditions  of  men  .  .  .  from  all  parts  of  the 
earth  .  .  .  coming  to  that  city  to  live,  and  seeing  that  it  was 
new,  well-proportioned,  free  from  defect,  free  from  fault,  pleasing 
to  the  eye,  would  know  by  inference:  "Skilful  indeed  was  that  city- 
builder  who  created  this  city !" 

120.  SO  IS  THE  BUDDHA  KNOWN  BY  HIS  CITY  OF 

RIGHTEOUSNESS 

Precisely  so,  great  king,  that  Exalted  One,  without  an  equal, 
without  equals,  without  a  peer,  without  a  similar,  not  to  be 
weighed,  not  to  be  reckoned,  not  to  be  measured,  not  to  be  esti- 
mated, whose  virtues  were  immeasurable,  who  attained  the  perfec- 
tion of  virtues,  whose  wisdom  was  endless,  whose  glory  was  endless, 
whose  vigor  was  endless,  whose  power  was  endless,  who  attained  the 
perfection  of  the  Powers  of  a  Buddha, — precisely  so  that  Exalted 
One  conquered  Mara  the  Evil  One  and  his  host,  burst  asunder  the 
Net  of  False  Views,  put  down  Ignorance,  uplifted  Knowledge, 
upheld  the  Torch  of  Righteousness,  attained  Omniscience,  and 
unconquered  and  unconquerable  in  the  fight,  created  the  City  of 
Righteousness. 

IMoreover,  great  king,  the  City  of  Righteousness  created  by  the 
Exalted  One  has  Morality  for  its  ramparts.  Shame  for  its 
trenches,  Knowledge  for  its  battlemcnted  gateway.  Vigor  for  its 
towers.  Faith  for  its  pillars,  Mindfulness  for  its  gate-keeper, 
Wisdom  for  its  terraced  heights,  the  Suttantas  for  its  commons 
and  squares,  the  Abhidhamma  for  its  junctions  and  crossroads, 
the  Vinaya  for  its  court  of  justice,  the  Earnest  Meditations  for 
its  street. 


Par.  121.]  Flower-shop  of  Buddha  233 

Seven  Shops  of  the  Buddha. 
Moreover,  great  king,  in  this  City  of  Righteousness,  in  the 
Street  of  the  Earnest  Meditations,  Seven  Shops  are  open,  and 
these  are  their  names:  a  Flower-shop,  a  Perfume-shop,  a  Fruit- 
shop,  a  Medicine-shop,  an  Herb-shop,  an  Ambrosia-shop,  a  Jewel- 
shop, — and  a  General  shop. 

121.  FLOWER-SHOP  OF  THE  BUDDHA 

"Reverend  Nagasena,  what  is  the  Flower-shop  of  the  Exalted  One, 
the  Buddha?" 

There  exist,  great  king,  proclaimed  by  the  Exalted  One,  the 
All-knowing  One,  the  All-seeing  One,  the  All-worthy,  the  Su- 
premely Enlightened,  Subjects  of  Meditation,  duly  systematized 
and  classified,  as  follows :  the  Ideas  of  Impermanence,  Unreality, 
Impurity,  Disadvantage,  Renunciation,  Passionlessness,  Cessa- 
tion; the  Idea  of  Dissatisfaction  with  any  and  all  worlds;  the  Idea 
of  the  Impermanence  of  the  Constituents  of  Being;  Meditation 
on  In-  and  Out-breathing ;  Ideas  of  the  Corpses :  bloated,  purple, 
festering,  fissured,  gnawed,  scattered,  pounded-and-scattered, 
bloody,  wormy,  bony ;  the  Ideas  of  Friendliness,  Compassion,  Joy, 
Indifference;  Meditation  on  Death;  Meditation  on  the  Body. 
These,  great  king,  are  the  Subjects  of  Meditation,  duly  systema- 
tized and  classified,  proclaimed  by  the  Exalted  One,  the  Buddha. 

With  reference  to  these, — whoever  desires  to  be  delivered  from 
Old  Age  and  Death,  chooses  one  or  another  of  these  Subjects  of 
Meditation,  and  by  means  of  this  Subject  of  Meditation  obtains 
deliverance  from  Lust,  Ill-will,  Delusion,  Pride,  False  Views; 
crosses  the  Ocean  of  the  Round  of  Existences ;  stems  the  Stream 
of  Craving;  cleanses  himself  of  the  Threefold  Stain;  destroys  all 
the  Contaminations;  enters  that  Best  of  Cities,  the  City  of  Nib- 
bana,  which  is  free  from  stain,  free  from  dust,  clean  white,  free 
from  Birth,  free  from  Old  Age,  free  from  Death,  which  is  Bliss, 
Coolness,  Freedom  from  Peril, — through  Sainthood  obtains  de- 
liverance of  the  heart. 

This,  great  king,  is  what  is  meant  by  the  Flower-shop  of  the 

Buddha. 

With  Kamma  as  the  price,  go  up  unto  the  shop ; 

Buy  a  Subject  of  Meditation;  so  obtain  deliverance  through  Deliver- 
ance. 


234  Did  Buddha  Ever  Exist?  [Chap.  XL 

122.  PERFUME-SHOP  OF  THE  BUDDHA 

"Reverend  Niigasena,  what  is  the  Perfume-shop  of  the  Exalted  One. 
the  Buddha?" 

There  exist,  great  king,  proclaimed  by  the  Exalted  One,  certain 
Precepts,  duly  systematized  and  divided;  and  anointed  with  the 
Perfume  of  these  Precepts,  the  sons  of  the  Exalted  One  fume  and 
perfume  with  the  Perfume  of  the  Precepts  the  woi'ld  of  men  and  the 
Worlds  of  the  Gods.  They  exhale  fragrance,  they  exhale  exceeding 
sweet  fragrance,  in  the  principal  directions,  in  the  intermediate 
directions,  with  the  wind,  against  the  wind ;  they  abide  ever  suf- 
fusing them. 

Now  what  are  these  Precepts,  duly  systematized  and  divided.'' 
The  Precepts  of  the  Refuges,  the  Five  Precepts,  the  Eight  Pre- 
cepts, the  Ten  Precepts,  the  Precepts  of  Restraint  contained  in 
the  Book  of  Confession  and  included  in  the  Five  Recitations 
thereof. 

This,  great  king,  is  what  is  meant  by  the  Perfume-shop  of  the 
Buddha.  Moreover,  great  king,  this  has  been  said  by  the  Exalted 
One,  god  over  gods : 

The  perfume  of  flowers  goes  not  against  the  wind, 
Nor  that  of  sandal,  or  of  Tagara  and  Mallika  flowers; 
But  the  perfume  of  the  righteous  goes  against  the  wind; 
In  all  directions  a  good  man  exhales  fragrance. 

Above  and  beyond  all  varieties  of  perfume. 

Whether  of  sandal  or  of  lotus 

Or  of  Tagara  and  Vassiki  flowers, 

The  perfume  of  virtue  is  preeminent. 

Weak  is  this  perfume,  this  perfume  of  Tagara  and  of  sandal ; 
The  perfume  of  the  virtuous  is  the  finest  that  is  wafted  to  the  gods. 


123.  FRUIT-SHOP  OF  THE  BUDDHA 

"Reverend  Nagasena,  what  is  the  Fruit-shop  of  the  Exalted  One,  the 
Buddha?" 

There  are  Fruits,  great  king,  proclaimed  by  the  Exalted  One,  to 
wit:  the  Fruit  of  Conversion,  the  Fruit  of  one-who-will-be-reborn- 
but-once,  the  Fruit  of  one-who-will-be-reborn-no-more-on-earth, 
and  the  Fruit  of  Sainthood;  the  Attainment  of  the  Fruit  of  Free- 


Par.  125.]  Medicine-sJiop  of  Buddha  235 

dom  from  the  Depravities ;  the  Attainment  of  the  Fruit  of  Free- 
dom from  the  Marks  of  Lust,  Ill-will,  and  Delusion;  the  Attain- 
ment of  the  Fruit  of  Freedom  from  Inclination  thereto.  Of  these, 
whichever  Fruit  a  man  desires,  he  gives  Kamma  as  the  price,  and 
buys  the  Fruit  he  wants. 

124.  BUYER  AND  SELLER  OF  MANGOES 

Suppose,  great  king,  some  man  or  other  had  a  mango-tree  which 
bore  fruit  continually,  and  suppose  he  never  shook  down  mangoes 
so  long  as  buyers  did  not  come,  but  when  a  buyer  arrived,  he  took 
the  price  and  told  him  this :  "Master  man,  this  mango-tree  bears 
fruit  continually;  take  from  it  as  much  fruit  as  you  want, — im- 
mature, or  decayed,  or  hairy,  or  unripe,  or  ripe" ;  and  suppose 
the  buyer,  for  the  price  he  had  given  the  seller,  if  he  wanted  im- 
mature, took  immature;  if  he  wanted  decayed,  took  decayed;  if 
he  wanted  hairy,  took  hairy;  if  he  Avanted  unripe,  took  unripe;  if 
he  wanted  ripe,  took  ripe. 

Precisely  so,  great  king,  whichever  Fruit  a  man  desires,  he  gives 
Kamma  as  the  price,  and  buys  the  Fruit  he  wants.  If  he  desires  the 
Fruit  of  Conversion,  he  receives  it ;  if  he  desires  the  Fruit  of  one- 
who- will-be- reborn-but-once,  he  receives  it ;  if  he  desires  the  Fruit 
of  one-who-will-be-reborn-no-more-on-earth,  he  receives  it;  if  he 
desires  the  Fruit  of  Sainthood,  he  receives  it;  if  he  desires  the 
Attainment  of  the  Fruit  of  Freedom  from  the  Depravities,  he  re- 
ceives it;  if  he  desires  the  Attainment  of  the  Fruit  of  Freedom 
from  the  Marks  of  Lust,  Ill-will,  and  Delusion,  he  receives  it;  if 
he  desires  the  Attainment  of  the  Fruit  of  Freedom  from  Inclina- 
tion thereto,  he  receives  it. 

This,  great  king,  is  what  is  meant  by  the  Fruit-shop  of  the 

Buddha. 

People  give  Kamma  as  the  price,  and  buy  the  Fruit  of  the  Deathless ; 
Therefore  they  are  in  Bliss  that  have  bought  the  Fruit  of  the  Deathless. 

125.  MEDICINE-SHOP  OF  THE  BUDDHA 

"Reverend  Nagasena,  what  is  the  Medicine-shop  of  the  Exalted  One, 
the  Buddha.?" 

There  are  Medicines,  great  king,  proclaimed  by  the  Exalted  One, 
and  with  these  ^Medicines  that  Exalted  One  frees  the  world  of  men 


236  Did  Buddha  Ever  Exist?  [Chap.  XI. 

and  the  Worlds  of  the  Gods  from  the  Poison  of  the  Depravities. 
Now  what  are  these  Medicines.''  Great  king,  they  are  the  Four 
Noble  Truths  proclaimed  by  the  Exalted  One;  to  wit,  the  Noble 
Truth  regarding  Suffering,  the  Noble  Truth  regarding  the  Origin 
of  Suffering,  the  Noble  Truth  regarding  the  Cessation  of  Suffer- 
ing, the  Noble  Truth  regarding  the  Way  to  the  Cessation  of 
Suffering.  Now  whosoever,  longing  for  Sublime  Knowledge, 
hearken  to  the  Doctrine  of  the  Four  Truths,  they  are  delivered 
from  Birth,  they  are  delivered  from  Old  Age,  they  are  delivered 
from  Death,  they  are  delivered  from  sorrow,  lamentation,  suffer- 
ing, dejection,  and  despair. 

This,  great  king,  is  what  is  meant  by  the  Medicine-shop  of  the 
Buddha. 

Of  all  the  medicines  in  the  world  that  are  antidotes  for  poison, 
There  is  none  equal  to  the  Medicine  of  the  Doctrine;  drink  this,  O 
monks ! 


126.  HERB-SHOP  OF  THE  BUDDHA 

"Reverend  Nagasena,  what  is  the  Herb-shop  of  the  Exalted  One^  the 
Buddha.?" 

There  are  Herbs,  great  king,  proclaimed  by  the  Exalted  One, 
with  which  herbs  that  Exalted  One  cures  both  gods  and  men;  to 
wit:  the  Four  Earnest  Meditations,  the  Four  Right  Exertions, 
the  Four  Bases  of  Magical  Power,  the  Five  Sensations,  the  Five 
Forces,  the  Seven  Prerequisites  of  Enlightenment,  the  Noble 
Eightfold  Path.  With  these  Herbs  the  Exalted  One  purges  Wrong 
Views,  purges  Wrong  Resolution,  purges  Wrong  Speech,  purges 
Wrong  Conduct,  purges  Wrong  Means  of  Livelihood,  purges 
Wrong  Exertion,  purges  Wrong  Mindfulness,  purges  Wrong 
Concentration ;  produces  vomiting  of  Desire,  produces  vomiting 
of  Ill-will,  produces  vomiting  of  Delusion,  produces  vomiting  of 
Pride,  produces  vomiting  of  False  Views,  produces  vomiting  of 
Doubt,  produces  vomiting  of  Arrogance,  produces  vomiting  of 
Sloth-and-Torpor,  produces  vomiting  of  Shamelessness  and  of 
Fearlessness  of  Wrongdoing, — produces  vomiting  of  all  the  De- 
pravities. 

This,  great  king,  is  what  is  meant  by  the  Herb-shop  of  the 
Buddha. 


Par.  128.]  Jewel-shop  of  Buddha.  237 

Of  all  the  herbs  that  are  known  in  the  worlds  many  and  various, 
There  are  none  equal  to  the  Herbs  of  the  Doctrine;  drink  these,  O 
monks ! 

They  that  drink  the  Herbs  of  the  Doctrine  will  no  more  grow  old  and 

die; 
By  Concentration  and  Insight  destroying  the  Constituents  of  Being, 

they  will  attain  Nibbana. 

127.  AMBROSIA-SHOP  OF  THE  BUDDHA 

"Reverend  Nagasena,  what  is  the  Ambrosia-shop  of  the  Exalted  One, 
the  Buddha.?" 

An  Ambrosia,  great  king,  has  been  proclaimed  by  the  Exalted 
One,  and  with  this  Ambrosia  that  Exalted  One  sprinkles  the  world 
of  men  and  the  Worlds  of  the  Gods ;  and  sprinkled  with  this  Am- 
brosia, both  gods  and  men  have  obtained  deliverance  from  Birth, 
Old  Age,  Disease,  Death,  and  from  sorrow,  lamentation,  suffering, 
dejection,  and  despair.  What  is  this  Ambrosia.?  It  is  Meditation 
on  the  Body.  Moreover,  great  king,  this  has  been  said  by  the 
Exalted  One,  god  over  gods:  "Ambrosia,  O  monks,  do  they  enjoy 
who  enjoy  Meditation  on  the  Body." 

This,  great  king,  is  what  is  meant  by  the  Ambrosia-shop  of  the 
Buddha. 

Afflicted  with  disease  he  saw  mankind,  and  opened  an  Ambrosia-shop. 
"With  Kamma,  monks,  come,  buy  and  eat  Ambrosia !" 

128.  JEWEL-SHOP  OF  THE  BUDDHA 

"Reverend  Nagasena,  what  is  the  Jewel-shop  of  the  Exalted  One,  the 
Buddha?" 

Jewels,  great  king,  have  been  proclaimed  by  the  Exalted  One,  and 
adorned  with  these  Jewels,  the  sons  of  the  Exalted  One  brighten, 
illuminate,  irradiate,  the  world  of  men  and  the  Worlds  of  the  Gods, 
— shine,  shine  forth, — diffuse  light  above,  below,  across.  What  are 
these  Jewels.?  The  Jewel  of  the  Precepts  of  Morality,  the  Jewel  of 
Concentration,  the  Jewel  of  Wisdom,  the  Jewel  of  Deliverance,  the 
Jewel  of  Insight  through  Knowledge  of  Deliverance,  the  Jewel  of 
the  Analytical  Powers,  the  Jewel  of  the  Prerequisites  of  En- 
lightenment. 


238  Did  Buddha  Ever  Exist?  [Chap.  XI. 

Seven  Jewels  of  the  Buddha. 

129.  JEWEL  OF  MORALITY 

What,  great  king,  is  the  Jewel  of  the  Precepts  of  Morality  pro- 
claimed by  the  Exalted  One.'* 

It  is  the  Precepts  of  Restraint  contained  in  the  Book  of  Con- 
fession, the  Precepts  of  Restraint  of  the  Organs  of  Sense,  the  Pre- 
cepts regarding  Purity  of  Means  of  Livelihood,  the  Precepts  re- 
lating to  the  Monastic  Requisites,  the  Lower  Precepts,  the  Middle 
Precepts,  the  Higher  Precepts,  the  Precepts  regarding  the  Paths, 
the  Precepts  regarding  the  Fruits. 

Moreover,  great  king,  for  a  man  adorned  with  the  Jewel  of  the 
Precepts  of  Morality,  all  living  beings,  the  world  of  men,  the 
Worlds  of  the  Gods,  the  World  of  Mara,  the  World  of  Brahma, 
the  world  of  monks  and  nuns,  cherish  affection,  cherish  longing. 
Moreover,  great  king,  a  monk  wearing  the  Jewel  of  the  Precepts 
of  Moralit}',  brightens,  brightens  exceedingly,  the  principal 
directions  and  the  intermediate  directions,  above  and  below  and 
across ;  from  the  Waveless  Hell  below  to  the  Highest  Heaven 
above,  he  abides  irradiating  light  which  exceeds,  which  surpasses, 
the  light  of  all  the  jewels  that  are  between.  Such,  great  king,  are 
the  Jewels  of  the  Precepts  of  Morality  which  are  exposed  for  sale 
in  the  Jewel-shop  of  the  Exalted  One. 

This,  great  king,  is  what  is  meant  by  the  Jewel-shop  of  the 
Buddha. 

Such  are  the  Precepts  in  the  Shop  of  the  Buddha ; 

Buy  these  Jewels  with  Kamma,  and  deck  yourselves  therewith. 

130.  JEWEL  OF  CONCENTRATION 

What,  great  king,  is  the  Jewel  of  Concentration  proclaimed  by 
the  Exalted  One.? 

Concentration  with  which  is  associated  reasoning,  with  which  is 
associated  investigation ;  Concentration  which  is  devoid  of  reason- 
ing, with  which  investigation  only  is  associated;  Concentration 
which  is  devoid  of  reasoning,  which  is  devoid  of  investigation ; 
Concentration  on  Freedom  from  the  Depravities ;  Concentration 


Par.  131.]  Jewel  of  Wisdom  239 

on  Freedom  from  the  Marks  of  Lust,  Ill-will,  and  Delusion;  Con- 
centration on  Freedom  from  Inclination  thereto. 

Moreover,  great  king,  when  a  monk  wears  the  Jewel  of  Con- 
centration, thoughts  of  Lust,  thoughts  of  Ill-will,  thoughts  of  In- 
jury, and  the  many  and  various  evil  thoughts  which  have  their 
bases  in  the  Depravities  of  Pride,  Arrogance,  False  Views,  and 
Doubt, — all  these,  on  encountering  Concentration,  scatter,  dis- 
perse, fall  away,  abide  not,  adhere  not. 

Precisely,  great  king,  as  water  on  a  lotus  leaf  scatters,  dis- 
perses, falls  away,  abides  not,  adheres  not,- — why  is  this.^  because 
of  the  purity  of  the  lotus  leaf, — just  so,  great  king,  when  a  monk 
wears  the  Jewel  of  Concentration,  thoughts  of  Lust,  thoughts  of 
Ill-will,  thoughts  of  Injury,  and  the  many  and  various  evil 
thoughts  which  have  their  bases  in  the  Depravities  of  Pride,  Arro- 
gance, False  Views,  and  Doubt, — all  these,  on  encountering  Con- 
centration, scatter,  disperse,  fall  away,  abide  not,  adhere  not. 
Why  is  this.''  Because  of  the  purity  of  Concentration. 

This,  great  king,  is  what  is  meant  by  the  Jewel  of  Concentra- 
tion proclaimed  by  the  Exalted  One.  Such,  great  king,  are  the 
Jewels  of  Concentration  exposed  for  sale  in  the  Jewel-shop  of  the 
Exalted  One. 

Let  a  monk  wear  the  Necklace  of  the  Jewels  of  Concentration, 
And  the  evil  thoughts  will  not  spring  up, 
Nor  will  the  thoughts  suffer  distraction ; 
Come_,  deck  yourselves  therewith. 


131.  JEWEL  OF  WISDOM 

What,  great  king,  is  the  Jewel  of  Wisdom  proclaimed  by  the 
Exalted  One?  Great  king,  it  is  the  Wisdom  with  which  the  Noble 
Disciple  perceives  aright :  "This  is  good ;"  perceives  aright :  "That 
is  not  good;"  perceives  aright  that  this  is  blameworthy  and  that 
is  not,  that  this  is  low  and  that  is  high,  that  this  is  dark  and  that 
is  light,  that  this  resembles  dark  and  light;  perceives  aright: 
"This  is  Suffering;"  perceives  aright:  "This  is  the  Origin  of  Suf- 
fering;" perceives  aright:  "This  is  the  Cessation  of  Suffering;" 
perceives  aright:  "This  is  the  Path  which  leads  to  the  Cessation 
of  Suffering." 


240  Did  Buddha  Ever  Exist?  [Chap.  XI. 

This,  great  king,  is  what  is  meant  by  the  Jewel  of  Wisdom  pro- 
claimed by  the  Exalted  One. 

Let  a  monk  wear  the  Necklace  of  the  Jewels  of  Wisdom, 
And  Existence  continues  not  for  long; 
Quickl}^  he  touches  the  Deathless, 
Nor  does  he  delight  in  Existence. 

132.  JEWEL  OF  DELIVERANCE 

What,  great  king,  is  the  Jewel  of  Deliverance  proclaimed  by  the 
Exalted  One.''  Sainthood,  great  king,  is  what  is  meant  by  the 
Jewel  of  Deliverance;  and,  great  king,  a  monk  who  has  attained 
Sainthood  is  said  to  wear  the  Jewel  of  Deliverance. 

Precisely,  great  king,  as  a  man  adorned  with  ornaments  of 
strings  of  pearls  and  gems  and  gold  and  coral,  his  limbs  anointed 
.  .  .  ,  gaily  decked  with  flowers  .  .  .  ,  surpassing  other  folk,  is 
resplendent,  is  resplendent  exceedingly,  shines  down,  shines  forth, 
shines  all  about,  gleams,  gleams  forth,  overwhelms,  overspreads, 
with  his  adornments  of  garlands  and  perfumes  and  jewels, — just 
so,  great  king,  a  monk  Avho  has  attained  Sainthood,  who  has  rid 
himself  of  the  Contaminations,  who  wears  the  Jewel  of  Deliverance, 
surpassing,  far  surpassing,  all  other  monks  beginning  with  those 
in  the  lowest  grade  of  attainment  and  extending  to  those  who  have 
attained  Deliverance,  is  resplendent,  is  resplendent  exceedingly, 
shines  down,  shines  forth,  shines  all  about,  gleams,  gleams  forth, 
overwhelms,  overspreads,  with  Deliverance.  Why  is  this.?  Because, 
great  king,  this  Adornment  is  the  foremost  of  all  the  adornments, 
— that  is  to  say,  the  Adornment  of  Deliverance. 

This,  great  king,  is  what  is  meant  by  the  Jewel  of  Deliverance 
proclaimed  by  the  Exalted  One. 

To  one  who  wears  a  necklace  of  gems, 
Housefolk  look  up  as  lord; 

But  to  one  who  wears  the  Jewel  of  Deliverance, 
Both  gods  and  men  look  up. 

133.   JEWEL   OF   INSIGHT   THROUGH    KNOWLEDGE   OF 

DELIVERANCE 

What,  great  king,  is  the  Jewel  of  Insight  through  Knowledge  of 
Deliverance,  proclaimed  by  the  Exalted  One.?  Knowledge  through 


Par.  134.]  Jewel  of  Higher  Powers  241 

Self-examination,  great  king,  is  what  is  meant  by  the  Jewel  of 
Insight  through  Knowledge  of  Deliverance,  proclaimed  by  the 
Exalted  One.  For  by  this  Knowledge  the  Noble  Disciple  examines 
the  Paths  and  the  Fruits  and  Nibbana,  the  Depravities  he  has  got 
rid  of,  and  the  Depravities  which  remain. 

That  Knowledge  by  which  the  Noble  know  their  accomplishments^ — 
Strive,  O  true  sons  of  the  Conqueror,  to  obtain  that  Jewel  of  Knowl- 
edge ! 


134.  JEWEL  OF  THE  ANALYTICAL  POWERS 

What,  great  king,  is  the  Jewel  of  the  Analytical  Powers  pro- 
claimed by  the  Exalted  One.''  Four  in  number,  great  king,  are  the 
Analytical  Powers :  Understanding  of  the  Meaning  of  Words, 
Understanding  of  the  Doctrine,  Grammar  and  Exegesis,  and 
Readiness  in  Speaking.  Adorned,  great  king,  with  these  Four 
Analytical  Powers,  a  monk,  no  matter  what  manner  of  assem- 
blage he  approaches,  whether  it  be  an  assemblage  of  Warriors  or 
an  assemblage  of  Brahmans  or  an  assemblage  of  householders  or 
an  assemblage  of  religious,  approaches  confident,  approaches  that 
assemblage  untroubled,  unafraid,  unalarmed,  untrembling,  with  no 
bristling  of  the  hair  of  the  body. 

Precisely,  great  king,  as  a  warrior,  a  hero  in  battle,  girded  with 
the  Five  Weapons,  goes  into  battle:  "If  enemies  shall  be  far  off, 
I  will  lay  them  low  with  arrows ;  if  they  shall  be  nearer,  I  will  hit 
them  with  the  javelin;  if  they  shall  be  nearer  yet,  I  will  hit  them 
with  the  spear;  if  an  enemy  shall  come  to  close  quarters  with  me, 
I  will  cleave  him  in  twain  with  my  sabre ;  if  he  shall  grapple  with 
me,  I  will  pierce  him  through  and  through  with  my  knife;" — just 
so,  great  king,  a  monk,  adorned  with  the  Jewel  of  the  Four  Ana- 
lytical Powers,  approaches  an  assemblage  unafraid: 

"If  any  man  shall  ask  me  a  question  involving  Understanding 
of  the  Meaning  of  Words,  I  will  tell  him  the  meaning  by  another 
meaning;  I  will  tell  him  the  reason  by  another  reason;  I  will  tell 
him  the  cause  by  another  cause :  I  will  tell  him  the  way  by  another 
way :  I  will  render  him  free  from  doubt,  I  will  dispel  his  perplexity, 
I  will  delight  him  with  my  handling  of  the  question. 

"If  any  man  shall  ask  me  a  question  involving  Understanding 
of  the  Doctrine,  to  him  I  will  explain  the  Doctrine  by  another 


242  Did  Buddha  Ever  Exist?  [Chap.  XI. 

doctrine,  the  Deathless  by  ambrosia,  the  Uncreate  by  the  un- 
created, Nibbana  by  extinguishment.  Freedom  from  the  Depravi- 
ties by  freedom.  Freedom  from  the  Marks  of  Lust,  Ill-will,  and 
Delusion,  by  freedom  from  marks.  Freedom  from  Inclination 
thereto  by  freedom  by  inclination.  Freedom  from  Lust  by  freedom 
from  lust :  I  will  render  him  free  from  doubt,  I  will  dispel  his  per- 
plexity, I  will  delight  him  with  my  handling  of  the  question. 

"If  any  man  shall  ask  me  a  question  involving  Grammar  and 
Exegesis,  to  him  I  will  explain  one  etymology  by  another  etymol- 
ogy, one  word  by  another  word,  one  particle  by  another  particle, 
one  letter  by  another  letter,  one  assimilation  by  another  assimila- 
tion, one  consonent  by  another  consonant,  one  semi-consonant  by 
another  semi-consonant,  one  vowel  by  another  vowel,  one  accent 
by  another  accent,  one  rule  by  another  rule,  one  usage  by  another 
usage:  I  will  render  him  free  from  doubt,  I  will  dispel  his  per- 
plexity, I  will  delight  him  with  my  handling  of  the  question. 

"If  any  man  shall  ask  me  a  question  involving  Readiness  in 
Speaking,  to  him  I  will  render  easy  of  comprehension  one  exposi- 
tion by  another  exposition,  one  comparison  by  another  compari- 
son, one  characteristic  by  another  characteristic,  one  quality  by 
another  quality:  I  will  render  him  free  from  doubt,  I  will  dispel 
his  perplexity,  I  will  delight  him  with  my  handling  of  the  question." 

This,  great  king,  is  what  is  meant  by  the  Jewel  of  the  Ana- 
lytical Powers  proclaimed  by  the  Exalted  One. 

Whoever,  buying  the  Analytical   Powers,  touches  them  with   Knowl- 
edge, 
Unfrightened,  unterrified,  illuminates  the  worlds  of  men  and  gods. 

135.  JEWEL  OF  THE  PREREQUISITES  OF  ENLIGHTEN- 
MENT 

What,  great  king,  is  the  Jewel  of  the  Prerequisites  of  Enlighten- 
ment proclaimed  by  the  Exalted  One.?  Seven  in  number,  great  king, 
are  these  Prerequisites  of  Enlightenment :  Mindfulness,  Examina- 
tion of  the  Doctrine,  Vigor,  Joy,  Repose,  Concentration,  Indif- 
ference. Adorned,  great  king,  with  these  Seven  Prerequisites  of 
Enlightenment,  a  monk  overcomes  all  darkness,  and  brightens, 
illuminates,  and  irradiates  the  world  of  men  and  the  Worlds  of 
the  Gods. 


Par.  136.]  General  Shop  of  Buddha  243 

This,  great  king,  is  what  is  meant  by  the  Jewel  of  the  Pre- 
requisites of  Enlightenment  proclaimed  by  the  Exalted  One. 

Before  a  monk  wearing  the  Necklace  of  the 

Jewels  of  the  Prerequisites  of  Enlightenment, 

Both  gods  and  men  stand  up. 

Buy  these  Jewels  with  Kamma,  and  deck  yourselves  therewith. 


136.  GENERAL  SHOP  OF  THE  BUDDHA 

"Reverend  Nagasena,  what  is  the  General  shop  of  the  Exalted  One, 
the  Buddha?" 

Great  king,  the  General  shop  of  the  Exalted  One  is  the  Ninefold 
Word  of  the  Buddha,  relics  of  his  body,  relics  consisting  of  things 
which  he  used,  mounds  erected  over  them,  and  the  Jewel  of  the 
Order  of  Monks.  In  the  General  shop,  great  king,  the  Exalted  One 
has  exposed  for  sale  the  Attainments  of  high  birth,  wealth,  long 
life,  health,  beauty,  wisdom,  worldly  glory,  heavenly  glory,  Nib- 
bana.  Whoever  desire  any  one  of  these  Attainments,  give  Kamma 
as  the  price,  and  buy  whatever  Attainment  they  long  for.  Some 
buy  by  taking  upon  themselves  the  Precepts,  some  buy  by  keeping 
Fast-day;  with  Kamma  as  the  price,  though  it  be  but  the  merest 
trifle,  they  obtain  the  Attainments,  beginning  with  the  lowest  and 
extending  to  the  highest. 

Precisely,  great  king,  as  in  the  shop  of  a  shop-keeper,  with  a 
very  small  quantity  of  sesame  and  beans  or  a  small  quantity  of 
rice  and  beans  as  the  price,  men  obtain  what  they  require,  begin- 
ning with  the  least  and  extending  to  the  greatest,  just  so,  great 
king,  in  the  General  shop  of  the  Exalted  One,  with  Kamma  as  the 
price,  though  it  be  but  the  merest  trifle,  men  receive  the  Attain- 
ments in  return,  beginning  with  the  lowest  and  extending  to  the 
highest. 

This,  great  king,  is  what  is  meant  by  the  General  shop  of  the 
Exalted  One. 

Long  life,  health,  beauty,  heaven,  high  birth. 

And  the  Uncreate,  Nibbana,  are  in  the  Conqueror's  General  shop. 
Be  it  little  or  much,  with  Kamma  as  the  price  are  they  obtained. 
With  Faith  as  the  Price,  buy,  and  be  rich,  O  monks ! 


244  Pure  Practices  [Chap.  XI. 

§13.  THE  PURE  PRACTICES 

Twenty-six  similes. 
Milindapanha  353-355. 

137.  Like  the  earth  are  they  in  properties,  for  they  are  a  finn 
footing  to  those  who  desire  Salvation. 

138.  Like  water  are  they,  for  they  wash  away  all  the  flecks  of 
the  Depravities. 

139.  Like  fire  are  they,  for  they  burn  the  whole  forest  of  the 
Depravities. 

140.  Like  wind  are  they,  for  they  blow  away  all  the  dust  and 
flecks  of  the  Depravities. 

141.  Like  medicine  are  they,  for  they  cure  all  the  diseases  of 
the  Depravities. 

142.  Like  ambrosia  are  they,  for  they  counteract  all  the  poisons 
of  the  Depravities. 

143.  Like  a  field  are  they,  for  therein  grow  crops  of  all  the 
virtues  of  the  Religious  Life. 

144.  Like  the  wish-fulfiller  are  they,  for  they  grant  all  the  At- 
tainments prayed  for  and  longed  for  by  those  who  desire  Salvation. 

145.  Like  a  ship  are  they,  for  they  ferry  those  who  desire  Sal- 
vation across  the  Great  Ocean  of  the  Round  of  Existences. 

146.  Like  a  shelter  for  the  frightened  are  they,  for  they  restore 
confidence  to  those  who  are  frightened  by  Old  Age  and  Death. 

147.  Like  a  mother  are  they,  for  they  treat  kindly  those  who 
are  oppressed  with  the  suff'erings  caused  by  the  Depravities. 

148.  Like  a  father  are  they,  for  they  foster  all  the  virtues  of 
the  Religious  Life  in  those  who  desire  to  increase  in  good  works. 

149.  Like  a  friend  are  they,  for  they  break  not  their  word  to 
those  who  seek  after  all  the  virtues  of  the  Religious  Life. 

150.  Like  the  lotus  are  they,  for  to  them  adhere  not  any  of  the 
flecks  of  the  Depravities. 


Par.  137-162.]  Twenty -six  Similes  245 

151.  Like  the  four  choice  kinds  of  perfumes  are  they,  for  they 
dispel  the  foul  odors  of  the  Depravities. 

152.  Like  a  lofty  mountain-peak  ai'e  they,  for  they  cannot  be 
shaken  by  the  winds  of  the  Eight  Conditions  of  Life. 

153.  Like  space  are  they,  for  they  are  impalpable,  broad,  dif- 
fused, outspread,  mighty. 

154.  Like  a  river  are  they,  for  they  wash  away  the  flecks  of  the 
Depravities. 

155.  Like  a  skilful  guide  are  they,  for  they  conduct  those  who 
desire  Salvation  out  of  the  wilderness  of  Rebirth,  out  of  the  tangle 
of  the  forest  of  the  Depravities. 

156.  Like  a  mighty  caravan-leader  are  they,  for  they  enable 
those  who  desire  Salvation  to  reach  that  blessed,  most  blessed, 
City  of  Nibbana,  which  is  free  from  all  perils,  secure,  without 
perils. 

157.  Like  a  well-polished,  spotless  mirror  are  they,  for  they 
enable  those  who  desire  Salvation  to  see  the  true  nature  of  the 
Constituents  of  Being. 

158.  Like  a  shield  are  they,  for  they  ward  off  the  clubs  and 
arrows  and  swords  of  the  Depravities. 

159.  Like  an  umbrella  are  they,  for  they  ward  off  the  rain  of  the 
Depravities,  and  the  heating  and  scorching  of  the  Threefold  Fire. 

160.  Like  the  moon  are  they,  for  they  are  prayed  for  and 
longed  for  by  those  who  desire  Salvation. 

161.  Like  the  sun  are  they,  for  they  dispel  the  darkness  and 
gloom  of  Delusion. 

162.  Like  the  ocean  are  they,  for  to  those  who  desire  Salva- 
tion they  are  the  place  of  origin  of  the  priceless  jewels  of  the  many 
and  various  virtues  of  the  Religious  Life ;  and  they  are  not  to  be 
measured,  not  to  be  reckoned,  not  to  be  estimated. 


CHAPTER  XII 

PARABLES  FROM  THE  LONG  DISCOURSES  ON  THE 
FRUITS  OF  THE  RELIGIOUS  LIFE 

Digha  2:1.71-85. 

On  a  certain  occasion  the  Buddha  said  to  King  Ajatasattu  of  Magadha: 

If  a  monk  would  obtain  the  fruits  of  the  Religious  Life,  he  must 
first  school  himself  in  the  Moralities. 

REMOVAL  OF  THE  FIVE  OBSTACLES 

He  must  next  get  rid  of  the  Five  Obstacles : 

Getting  rid  of  Longing  for  the  World,  he  dwells  with  heart  free 
from  Longing  for  the  World;  he  cleanses  his  heart  of  Longing  for 
the  World. 

Getting  rid  of  the  sin  of  Malice,  he  dwells  with  heart  free  from 
Malice,  compassionate  for  the  welfare  of  all  living  beings ;  he  cleanses 
his  heart  of  the  sin  of  Malice. 

Getting  rid  of  Sloth-and-Torpor,  he  dwells  free  from  Sloth-and- 
Torpor,  with  perception  clear,  mindful,  fully  conscious;  he  cleanses 
his  heart  of  Sloth-and-Torpor. 

Getting  rid  of  the  impropriety  of  Pride,  he  dwells  not  puffed  up, 
tranquil  in  heart  within;  he  cleanses  his  heart  of  the  impropriety  of 
Pride. 

Getting  rid  of  Doubt,  he  dwells  triumphing  over  Doubt,  free  from 
uncertainty  regarding  good  ways ;  he  cleanses  his  heart  of  Doubt. 

163.  PAYMENT  OF  A  DEBT 

It  is  precisely  as  if  a  man  were  to  conduct  his  business  on  bor- 
rowed capital,  and  his  business  were  to  prosper,  and  he  were  to 
pay  off  the  old  debt  and  have  a  surplus  left  over  sufficient  to 
support  a  wife.  The  following  thought  would  occur  to  him:  "In 
the  old  days  I  used  to  conduct  my  business  on  borrowed  capital, 
and  my  business  prospered,  and  here  I  have  paid  off  the  old  debt 


Par.  166.]  Release  from  Slavery  247 

and  have  a  surplus  left  over  sufficient  to  support  a  wife !"  Because 
of  this,  he  would  obtain  joy,  he  would  attain  satisfaction. 


164.  RECOVERY  FROM  A  SICKNESS 

It  is  precisely  as  if  a  man  were  afflicted  with  sickness,  suffering 
pain,  severely  ill,  unable  to  digest  his  food,  his  body  lacking  its 
normal  strength.  After  a  time  he  would  recover  from  that  sickness 
and  would  be  able  to  digest  his  food  and  his  body  would  possess 
its  normal  strength.  And  the  following  thought  would  occur  to 
him:  "In  the  old  days  I  was  afflicted  with  sickness,  I  suffered  pain, 
I  was  severely  ill,  I  was  unable  to  digest  my  food,  my  body  lacked 
its  normal  strength.  But  here  I  am  now,  recovered  from  that  sick- 
ness, able  to  digest  my  food,  and  my  body  possesses  its  normal 
strength!"  Because  of  this,  he  would  obtain  joy,  he  would  attain 
satisfaction. 

165.  RELEASE  FROM  PRISON 

It  is  precisely  as  if  a  man  were  bound  in  a  prison-house.  After 
a  time  he  would  be  released  from  those  bonds.  He  would  be  safe; 
he  would  suffer  no  loss, — indeed,  he  would  lose  not  one  of  his 
possessions.  And  the  following  thought  would  occur  to  him:  "In 
the  old  days  I  was  bound  in  a  prison-house.  But  here  I  am  now, 
released  from  those  bonds !  I  am  safe ;  I  have  suffered  no  loss, — 
indeed,  I  have  lost  not  one  of  my  possessions !"  Because  of  this, 
he  would  obtain  joy,  he  would  attain  satisfaction. 

166.  EMANCIPATION  FROM  SLAVERY 

It  is  precisely  as  if  a  man  were  a  slave,  not  his  own  master,  having 
another  for  his  master,  without  the  right  to  go  where  he  pleased. 
After  a  time  he  would  be  freed  from  that  slavery,  he  would  become 
liis  own  master,  he  would  have  no  other  for  his  master,  he  would 
be  a  free  man,  he  would  have  the  right  to  go  where  he  pleased. 
And  the  following  thought  would  occur  to  him:  "In  the  old  days 
I  was  a  slave,  not  my  own  master,  having  another  for  my  master, 
without  the  right  to  go  where  I  pleased.  But  here  I  am  now,  freed 
from  that  slavery,  my  own  master,  having  no  other  for  my  master, 


248  Fruits  of  Religious  Life  [Chap.  XII. 

a  free  man,  having  the  right  to  go  where  I  please !"  Because  of 
this,  he  would  obtain  joy,  he  would  attain  satisfaction. 


167.  RETURN  FROM  A  JOURNEY 

It  is  precisely  as  if  a  man  with  wealth  and  possessions  were  to 
start  out  on  a  long  and  hazardous  journey  through  a  country 
stricken  with  famine,  beset  with  perils.  After  a  time  he  would  com- 
plete that  hazardous  journey;  he  would  reach  the  outskirts  of  his 
village  in  safety ;  he  would  attain  security,  freedom  from  perils. 
And  the  following  thought  would  occur  to  him :  "Some  time  ago, 
with  my  wealth  and  possessions,  I  started  out  on  a  long  and 
hazardous  journey  through  a  country  stricken  with  famine,  beset 
with  perils.  But  here  I  am  now,  that  hazardous  journey  completed! 
I  have  reached  the  outskirts  of  my  village  in  safety;  I  have  at- 
tained security,  freedom  from  perils !"  Because  of  this,  he  would 
obtain  joy,  he  would  attain  satisfaction. 

Precisely  so,  great  king,  a  monk,  so  long  as  these  Five  Obstacles 
are  not  suppressed  within  himself,  views  them  as  he  would  a  Debt,  a 
Sickness,  a  Prison-house,  Slavery,  a  Long  and  Hazardous  Journey. 
But,  great  king,  a  monk,  so  soon  as  these  P'ive  Obstacles  are  sup- 
pressed within  himself,  views  their  suppression  as  he  would  the  Pay- 
ment of  a  Debt,  Recovery  from  a  Sickness,  Release  from  Prison, 
Emancipation  from  Slavery,  a  Safe  Return  from  a  Journey. 

While  he  views  these  Five  Obstacles  suppressed  within  himself, 
gladness  springs  up  within  him.  While  he  is  glad,  joy  springs  up  within 
him.  While  his  heart  is  filled  with  joy,  his  body  becomes  calm.  While 
his  body  is  calm,  he  experiences  bliss.  While  he  is  in  bliss,  his  thoughts 
attain  Concentration. 


THE  FOUR  TRANCES 

The  First  Trance. 

Having  utterly  isolated  himself  from  the  Pleasures  of  Sense,  having 
isolated  liimself  from  evil  ways,  he  dwells,  having  entered  upon  the 
First  Trance,  with  whicli  is  associated  reasoning,  with  wliicli  is  asso- 
ciated investigation,  which  has  its  beginning  in  isolation,  wliich  is  full 
of  joy  and  bliss.  This  very  body,  with  joy  and  bliss  originating  in 
isolation,  he  drenches,  he  saturates,  he  permeates,  he  suffuses:  there 
is  not  a  single  part  of  his  wliole  body  which  is  not  suffused  with  joy 
and  bliss  originating  in  isolation. 


Par.  169.]  Pool  of  Water  249 

168.  BALL  OF  LATHER 

It  is  precisely  as  if  a  dexterous  bath-attendant  or  his  assistant 
were  to  pour  bath-powder  into  a  metal  bowl,  and  sprinkling  it  with 
water  from  time  to  time,  wei-e  to  mix  it  and  knead  it.  It  would 
become  a  ball  of  lather,  taking  up  the  oil,  becoming  enveloped  with 
oil,  becoming  suffused  with  oil  within  and  without,  nor  would 
there  be  any  ooze. 

Precisely  so,  great  king,  with  a  monk.  This  very  body,  with  joy  and 
bliss  originating  in  isolation,  he  drenches,  he  saturates,  he  permeates, 
he  suffuses:  there  is  not  a  single  part  of  his  whole  body  which  is  not 
suffused  with  joy  and  bliss  originating  in  isolation. 

This,  great  king,  is  a  fruit  of  the  Religious  Life,  productive  of  ad- 
vantage even  in  this  world,  surpassing,  excelling,  the  former  fruits  of 
the  Religious  Life  which  are  productive  of  advantage  in  this  world. 

The  Second  Trance. 

But  again  further,  great  king,  a  monk,  through  the  cessation  of 
reasoning  and  investigation,  dwells,  having  entered  upon  the  Second 
Trance, — a  trance  devoid  of  reasoning,  devoid  of  investigation,  a  tran- 
quillization  of  the  inner  self,  a  focussing  of  the  thoughts,  which  has  its 
beginning  in  Concentration,  which  is  full  of  joy  and  bliss.  This  very 
body,  with  j  oy  and  bliss  originating  in  Concentration,  he  drenches  .    .   . 


169.  POOL  OF  WATER 

It  is  precisely  as  if  there  were  a  deep  pool  of  water,  with  water 
welling  up  into  it  from  a  spring  beneath,  and  there  were  no  inlet 
in  the  eastern  quarter  and  no  inlet  in  the  western  quarter  and  no 
inlet  in  the  northern  quarter  and  no  inlet  in  the  southern  quarter, 
and  from  time  to  time  a  cloud  were  to  pour  forth  upon  it  copious 
showers  of  rain.  Now  the  streams  of  cool  water  welling  up  out  of 
that  pool  of  water  would  drench,  saturate,  permeate,  suffuse,  that 
very  pool  of  water  with  cool  water:  there  would  not  be  a  single 
part  of  that  whole  pool  of  water  which  would  not  be  suffused  with 
cool  water. 

Precisely  so,  great  king,  with  a  monk.  This  very  body,  with  joy  and 
bliss  originating  in  Concentration,  he  drenches   .    .    . 

This,  great  king,  is  a  fruit  of  the  Religious  Life,  productive  of  ad- 
vantage even  in  this  world,  surpassing,  excelling,  the  former  fruits  of 
the  Religious  Life  which  are  productive  of  advantage  in  this  world. 


250  Fruits  of  Religious  Life  [Chap.  XII. 

The  Third  Trance. 

But  again  further,  great  king,  a  monk  dwells  indifferent  both  to  joy 
and  to  absence  of  passion,  and  mindful,  and  conscious,  experiencing 
bliss  in  the  body, — being  a  monk  such  as  he  of  whom  the  Noble  say, 
"He  is  indifferent;  he  is  mindful;  he  dwells  in  bliss;" — a  monk  dwells, 
having  entered  upon  the  Third  Trance.  This  very  body,  with  bliss 
devoid  of  joy,  he  drenches  .    .    . 

170.  LOTUS-FLOWERS 

It  is  precisely  as  if,  within  a  lotus-pond  containing  lotus-flowers 
blue  and  red  and  white,  some  few  lotus-flowers,  whether  blue  or 
red  or  white,  sprouting  in  the  water,  growing  in  the  water,  failed 
to  lift  their  heads  above  the  water,  took  nourishment  while  still 
submerged.  Those  lotus-flowers,  both  to  the  tips  and  to  the  roots, 
would  be  drenched,  saturated,  permeated,  suffused,  with  water: 
there  would  not  be  a  single  part  of  all  those  lotus-flowers,  whether 
blue  or  red  or  white,  which  would  not  be  suffused  with  cool  water. 

Precisely  so,  great  king,  with  a  monk.  This  very  body,  with  bliss 
devoid  of  joy,  he  drenches  .    .    . 

This,  great  king,  is  a  fruit  of  the  Religious  Life,  productive  of  ad- 
vantage even  in  this  world,  surpassing,  excelling,  the  former  fruits  of 
the  Religious  Life  which  are  productive  of  advantage  in  this  world. 

The  Fourth  Trance. 

But  again  further,  great  king,  a  monk  dwells,  through  the  putting 
away  of  bliss,  through  the  putting  away  of  suffering,  through  the 
destruction  even  of  former  satisfaction  and  dissatisfaction,  having 
entered  upon  the  Fourth  Trance, — a  trance  devoid  of  suffering,  devoid 
of  bliss, — the  perfection  of  indifference  and  mindfulness.  He  sits  suf- 
fusing this  very  body  with  thoughts  that  are  purified  and  cleansed: 
there  is  not  a  single  part  of  his  whole  body  which  is  not  suffused  with 
thoughts  that  are  purified  and  cleansed. 

17L  CLEAN  GARMENT 

It  is  precisely  as  if  a  man  were  to  sit  with  a  clean  garment  drawn 
over  his  head.  There  would  not  be  a  single  part  of  his  whole  body 
which  would  not  be  touched  by  the  clean  garment. 

Precisely  so,  great  king,  with  a  monk.  He  sits  suffusing  this  very 
body  with  thoughts  that  are  purified  and  cleansed:  there  is  not  a  single 


Par.  172.]  Threaded  Gem  251 

part  of  his  whole  body  which  is  not  suffused  with  thoughts  that  are 
purified  and  cleansed. 

This,  great  king,  is  a  fruit  of  the  Religious  Life,  productive  of  ad- 
vantage even  in  this  world,  surpassing,  excelling,  the  former  fruits  of 
the  Religious  Life  which  are  productive  of  advantage  in  this  world. 

INSIGHT 

With  thoughts  thus  concentrated,  purified,  cleansed,  stainless,  free 
from  contamination,  impressionable,  tractable,  steadfast,  immovable, 
he  inclines,  he  bends  down,  his  thoughts  to  the  attainment  of  Insight 
through  Knowledge.  He  perceives  the  following:  "This  body  of  mine 
has  material  form,  is  made  up  of  the  Four  Great  Elements,  springs  from 
mother  and  father,  increases  through  the  eating  of  boiled  rice  and  sour 
gruel,  is  by  nature  impermanent,  subject  to  wear  and  tear,  to  dissolu- 
tion and  disintegration ;  moreover,  this  consciousness  of  mine  is  de- 
pendent on  it,  is  bound  up  with  it." 

172.  THREADED  GEM 

It  is  precisely  as  if  there  were  a  gem,  a  lapis  lazuli,  brilliant,  of 
the  finest  quality,  with  eight  facets,  beautifully  polished,  trans- 
lucent, clear,  flawless,  perfect  in  every  particular,  and  that  gem 
were  strung  on  a  thread  either  blue  or  saffron  or  red  or  white  or 
yellow.  A  man  with  eyes,  taking  that  gem  in  his  hand  and  examin- 
ing it,  would  reflect :  "This  gem,  this  lapis  lazuli,  is  indeed  brilliant, 
of  the  finest  quality,  possesses  eight  facets,  is  beautifully  polished, 
translucent,  clear,  flawless,  perfect  in  every  particular,  and  this 
gem  is  strung  on  a  thread  either  blue  or  saffron  or  red  or  white  or 
yellow." 

Precisely  so,  great  king,  with  a  monk.  With  thoughts  thus  concen- 
trated .    .    . 

This,  great  king,  is  a  fruit  of  the  Religious  Life,  productive  of  ad- 
vantage even  in  this  world,  surpassing,  excelling,  the  former  fruits  of 
the  Religious  Life  which  are  productive  of  advantage  in  this  world. 

CREATION  OF  A  SPIRITUAL  BODY 

With  thoughts  thus  concentrated,  purified,  cleansed,  stainless,  free 
from  contamination,  impressionable,  tractable,  steadfast,  immovable,  he 
inclines,  he  bends  down,  his  thoughts  to  the  creation  of  a  Spiritual 
Body.  From  this  body  of  his  he  creates  another  body,  possessing  form, 
a  spiritual  body,  endowed  with  all  the  major  and  minor  members, 
lacking  none  of  the  organs  of  sense. 


252  Fruits  of  Religious  Life  [Chap.  XII. 

173.  REED,  SWORD,  SNAKE 

It  is  precisely  as  if  a  man  were  to  draw  a  reed  out  of  a  reed-grass. 
The  following  thought  would  occur  to  him:  "This  is  the  reed- 
grass,  this  is  the  reed.  The  reed-grass  is  one  tiling,  the  reed  is 
another.  From  the  reed- grass  indeed  has  the  reed  been  drawn." 

It  is  precisely  as  if  a  man  were  to  draw  a  sword  out  of  its  sheath. 
The  following  thought  would  occur  to  him:  "This  is  the  sword, 
this  is  the  sheath.  The  sword  is  one  thing,  the  sheath  is  another. 
From  the  sheath  indeed  has  the  sword  been  drawn." 

It  is  precisely  as  if  a  man  were  to  pull  a  snake  out  of  his  skin. 
The  following  thought  would  occur  to  him :  "This  is  the  snake,  this 
is  the  skin.  The  snake  is  one  thing,  the  skin  is  another.  Out  of  the 
skin  indeed  has  the  snake  been  pulled." 

Precisely  so,  great  king,  with  a  monk.  With  thoughts  thus  concen- 
trated .   .    . 

This,  great  king,  is  a  fruit  of  the  Religious  Life,  productive  of  ad- 
vantage even  in  this  world,  surpassing,  excelling,  the  former  fruits  of 
the  Religious  Life  which  are  productive  of  advantage  in  this  world. 


THE  SIX  SUPERNATURAL  POWERS 

Magical  power. 

With  thoughts  thus  concentrated,  purified,  cleansed,  stainless,  free 
from  contamination,  impressionable,  tractable,  steadfast,  immovable, 
he  inclines,  he  bends  down,  his  thouglits  to  the  acquisition  of  the  various 
kinds  of  Magical  Power.  He  enjoys,  one  after  another,  the  various 
kinds  of  Magical  Power,  the  several  varieties  thereof: 

Being  one  man,  he  becomes  many  men.  Being  many  men,  he  becomes 
one  man. 

He  becomes  visible;  he  becomes  invisible. 

He  passes  through  walls  and  ramparts  and  mountains  without  ad- 
hering thereto,  as  though  through  the  air. 

He  darts  up  through  the  earth  and  dives  down  into  the  earth,  as 
though  in  the  water. 

He  walks  on  water  without  breaking  through,  as  though  on  land. 

He  travels  through  the  air  cross-legged,  like  a  bird  on  the  wing. 

He  strokes  and  caresses  with  his  hand  the  moon  and  the  sun,  so 
mighty  in  power,  so  mighty  in  strength. 

He  ascends  in  the  body  even  to  the  World  of  Brahma. 


Par.  175.]  Sounds  of  Drums  253 

174.  POTTER,  IVORY-CARVER,  GOLDSMITH 

It  is  precisely  as  if  a  skilful  potter  or  potter's  apprentice,  out  of 
carefully  prepared  clay,  were  to  make,  were  to  produce,  any  kind 
of  vessel  he  might  wish. 

It  is  precisely  as  if  a  skilful  ivory-carver  or  ivory-carver's  ap- 
prentice, out  of  carefully  prepared  ivory,  were  to  make,  were  to 
produce,  any  kind  of  ivory  product  he  might  wish. 

It  is  precisely  as  if  a  skilful  goldsmith  or  goldsmith's  apprentice, 
out  of  carefully  prepared  gold,  were  to  make,  were  to  produce,  any 
kind  of  gold  object  he  might  wish. 

Precisely  so,  great  king,  with  a  monk.  With  thoughts  thus  concen- 
trated .    .    . 

This,  great  king,  is  a  fruit  of  the  Religious  Life,  productive  of  ad- 
vantage even  in  this  world,  surpassing,  excelling,  the  former  fruits  of 
the  Religious  Life  which  are  productive  of  advantage  in  this  world. 

The  Heavenly  Ear. 

With  thoughts  thus  concentrated,  jDurified,  cleansed,  stainless,  free 
from  contamination,  impressionable,  tractable,  steadfast,  immovable, 
he  inclines,  he  bends  down,  his  thoughts  to  the  acquisition  of  the 
Heavenly  Ear.  With  the  Heavenly  Ear,  purified,  transcending  that  of 
man,  he  hears  both  kinds  of  sounds:  both  divine  and  human;  both 
those  that  are  far  off,  and  those  that  are  nigh. 

175.  SOUNDS  OF  DRUMS 

It  is  precisely  as  if  a  man  who  had  started  out  on  a  highway 
were  to  hear  the  sound  of  kettle-drums,  the  sound  of  tabors,  the 
sound  of  chank  horns  and  small  drums.  The  following  thought 
would  occur  to  him :  "Those  are  the  sounds  of  kettle-drums ;  those 
are  the  sounds  of  tabors ;  those  are  the  sounds  of  chank  horns 
and  small  drums." 

Precisely  so,  great  king,  with  a  monk.  With  thoughts  thus  concen- 
trated .    .    . 

This,  great  king,  is  a  fruit  of  the  Religious  Life,  productive  of  ad- 
vantage even  in  this  world,  surpassing,  excelling,  the  former  fruits  of 
the  Religious  Life  which  are  productive  of  advantage  in  this  world. 

Mind-reading. 

With  thoughts  thus  concentrated,  purified,  cleansed,  stainless,  free 
from   contamination,   impressionable,   tractable,   steadfast,   immovable. 


254  Fruits  of  Religious  Life  [Chap.  XII. 

he  incHnes,  he  bends  down,  his  thoughts  to  reading  the  minds  of  others. 
With  his  own  mind  embracing  the  minds  of  other  living  beings,  of  otlier 
individuals,  he  discerns,  according  to  their  true  nature,  together  with 
their  opposites,  thoughts  that  are  passionate,  malevolent,  deluded,  at- 
tentive, extended,  inferior,  concentrated,  emancipated. 


176.  REFLECTION  IN  A  MIRROR 

It  is  precisely  as  if  a  woman  or  a  man  or  a  young  fellow  given  to 
self-adornment,  gazing  at  the  reflection  of  his  face  in  a  mirror 
purified  and  cleansed,  or  in  a  vessel  of  clear  water,  were  to  know 
that  he  had  a  mole  on  his  face,  if  he  had  one ;  were  to  know  that  he 
had  not  a  mole  on  his  face,  if  he  had  not. 

Precisely  so,  great  king,  with  a  monk.  With  thoughts  thus  concen- 
trated .    .    . 

This,  great  king,  is  a  fruit  of  the  Religious  Life,  productive  of  ad- 
vantage even  in  this  world,  surpassing,  excelling,  the  former  fruits  of 
the  Religious  Life  which  are  productive  of  advantage  in  this  world. 

Recollection  of  previous  states  of  existence. 

With  thoughts  thus  concentrated,  purified,  cleansed,  stainless,  free 
from  contamination,  impressionable,  tractable,  steadfast,  immovable, 
he  inclines,  he  bends  down,  his  thoughts  to  the  recollection  and  knowl- 
edge of  previous  states  of  existence.  He  calls  to  mind  manifold  and 
various  previous  states  of  existence,  to  wit:  one  birth,  two  births,  three 
births,  four  births,  five  births,  ten  births,  twenty  births,  thirty  births, 
forty  births,  fifty  births,  a  hundred  births,  a  thousand  births,  a  hundred 
thousand  births,  innumerable  periods  of  dissolution,  innumerable 
periods  of  evolution,  innumerable  periods  of  dissolution  and  evolution. 

"There  was  I !  Such  was  my  name !  such  my  family !  such  my  appear- 
ance !  such  my  gettings  !  such  the  pleasure  and  pain  I  experienced ! 
such  the  termination  of  my  life !  Passing  from  this  state  of  existence, 
I  was  reborn  in  that.  There  again  was  I !  Such  was  my  name !  such  my 
family !  such  my  appearance !  sucli  my  gettings !  such  the  pleasure  and 
pain  I  experienced !  such  the  termination  of  my  life !  Passing  from  that 
state  of  existence,  I  was  reborn  here." 

Thus  does  he  call  to  mind  manifold  and  various  states  of  existence, 
together  with  their  characteristics,  together  with  their  particulars. 


177.  RECOLLECTION  OF  A  JOURNEY 

It  is  precisely  as  if  a  man  were  to  go  from  his  own  village  to 
another  village,  wxre  to  go  from  that  village  to  another  village, 


Par.  178.]  Mansion  at  Cross-roads  255 

from  that  village  were  to  go  back  again  to  his  own  village.  The 
following  thought  would  occur  to  him:  "I  indeed  went  from  my 
own  village  to  that  village ;  there  I  stood  thus,  sat  thus,  spoke  thus, 
was  silent  thus.  From  this  village  I  went  to  that  village;  there  I 
stood  thus,  sat  thus,  spoke  thus,  was  silent  thus.  Now  I  have 
returned  from  that  village  to  my  own  village." 

Precisely  so,  great  king,  with  a  monk.  With  thoughts  thus  concen- 
trated .   .    . 

This,  great  king,  is  a  fruit  of  the  Religious  Life,  productive  of  ad- 
vantage even  in  this  world,  surpassing,  excelling,  the  former  fruits  of 
the  Religious  Life  which  are  productive  of  advantage  in  this  world. 

The  Heavenly  Eye. 

With  thoughts  thus  concentrated,  purified,  cleansed,  stainless,  free 
from  contamination,  imjjressionable,  tractable,  steadfast,  immovable, 
he  inclines,  he  bends  down,  his  thoughts  to  the  knowledge  of  the  pass- 
ing out  of  existence  and  the  coming  into  existence  of  living  beings. 
With  the  Heavenly  Eye,  transcending  that  of  man,  he  beholds  living 
beings  passing  out  of  existence  and  coming  into  existence: — the  lowly, 
the  high-born;  the  well-appearing,  the  ill-appearing;  those  in  good 
circumstances,  those  in  poor  circumstances. 

Reborn  according  to  their  deeds  does  he  perceive  all  living  beings: 
"These  living  beings,  verily,  guiltj?^  of  evil  deeds,  guilty  of  evil  words, 
guilty  of  evil  thoughts,  defamers  of  the  Noble,  holders  of  wrong  views, 
followers  of  courses  of  conduct  corresjDonding  to  wrong  views, — these 
living  beings,  upon  dissolution  of  the  body,  at  death,  are  reborn  in 
a  state  of  loss,  in  a  state  of  suffering,  in  a  state  of  punishment,  in  hell. 

"But  those  other  living  beings,  having  good  deeds  to  their  credit, 
having  good  words  to  their  credit,  having  good  thoughts  to  their  credit, 
not  being  defamers  of  the  Noble,  holders  of  right  views,  followers  of 
courses  of  conduct  corresponding  to  right  views, — these  living  beings, 
upon  dissolution  of  the  body,  at  death,  are  reborn  in  a  state  of  bliss, 
in  a  heavenly  world." 

Thus,  with  the  Heavenly  Eye,  purified,  transcending  that  of  man, 
he  beholds  living  beings  passing  out  of  existence  and  coming  into 
existence : — the  lowly,  the  high-born ;  the  well-appearing,  the  ill-ap- 
pearing; those  in  good  circumstances,  those  in  poor  circumstances. 
Reborn  according  to  their  deeds  does  he  perceive  all  living  beings. 

178.  MANSION  AT  CROSS-ROADS 

It  is  precisely  as  if  there  were  a  mansion  at  the  meeting-point  of 
four  roads,  and  a  man  with  eyes,  standing  there,  were  to  see  human 
beings   going  into   the  house  and   coming  out  of  the  house  and 


256  Fruits  of  Religious  Life  [Chap.  XII. 

Wcalking  about  together  in  the  street  and  sitting  at  the  centre  of 
the  cross-roads.  The  following  thought  would  occur  to  him :  "These 
human  beings  are  going  into  the  house  and  are  coming  out  of  the 
house  and  are  walking  about  together  in  the  street  and  are  sitting 
at  the  centre  of  the  cross-roads." 

Precisely  so,  great  king^  with  a  monk.  With  thoughts  thus  concen- 
trated .    .   . 

This,  great  king,  is  a  fruit  of  the  Religious  Life,  productive  of  ad- 
vantage even  in  this  world,  surpassing,  excelling,  the  former  fruits 
of  the  Religious  Life  which  are  productive  of  advantage  in  this  world. 

Knowledge  of  the  means  of  destroying  the  Three  Contaminations . 

With  thoughts  thus  concentrated,  purified,  cleansed,  stainless,  free 
from  contamination,  impressionable,  tractable,  steadfast,  immovable, 
he  inclines,  he  bends  down,  his  thoughts  to  the  knowledge  of  the  de- 
struction of  the  Contaminations.  "This  is  Suffering!" — he  comprehends 
Suffering  in  its  fulness.  "This  is  the  Origin  of  Suffering!" — he  compre- 
hends the  Origin  of  Suffering  in  its  fulness.  "This  is  the  Cessation  of 
Suffering!" — he  comprehends  the  Cessation  of  Suffering  in  its  fulness. 
"This  is  the  Way  to  the  Cessation  of  Suffering!" — he  comprehends  the 
Way  to  the  Cessation  of  Suffering  in  its  fulness. 

"These  are  the  Contaminations !" — he  comprehends  the  Contamina- 
tions in  their  fulness.  "This  is  the  Origin  of  the  Contaminations  !" — he 
comprehends  the  Origin  of  the  Contaminations  in  its  fulness.  "This  is 
the  Cessation  of  the  Contaminations!" — he  comprehends  the  Cessation 
of  the  Contaminations  in  its  fulness.  "This  is  the  W^ay  to  the  Cessation 
of  the  Contaminations !" — he  comprehends  the  Way  to  the  Cessation  of 
the  Contaminations  in  its  fulness. 

Nibhdna. 

As  he  thus  perceives,  as  he  thus  beholds,  his  thoughts  are  delivered 
from  the  Contamination  of  Craving  for  the  Pleasures  of  Sense,  his 
thoughts  are  delivered  from  the  Contamination  of  Craving  for  Exist- 
ence, liis  thoughts  are  delivered  from  the  Contamination  of  Ignorance. 
The  knowledge  comes  to  him:  "In  the  Delivered  is  Deliverance!"  The 
knowledge  comes  to  him:  "Rebirth  is  at  an  end!  lived  is  the  Holy  Life! 
done  is  what  was  to  be  done !  I  am  no  more  for  this  world !" 


179.  POOL  OF  WATER 

It  is  precisely  as  if,  on  the  top  of  a  mountain,  there  were  a  deep 
pool  of  water,  clear,  transparent,  still ;  and  as  if  a  man  with  eyes, 
standing  on  the  bank  of  that  pool,  were  to  see  oysters  and  shells, 


Par.  179.]  Pool  of  Water  257 

pebbles  and  gravel,  and  shoals  of  fish,  both  moving  and  stationary. 
The  following  thought  would  occur  to  him :  "Here  indeed  is  a  deep 
pool  of  water,  clear,  transparent,  still;  and  in  it  are  these  oysters 
and  shells,  these  pebbles  and  gravel,  and  these  shoals  of  fish,  both 
moving  and  stationary !" 

Precisely  so,  great  king,  with  a  monk.  With  thoughts  thus  concen- 
trated ... 

This,  great  king,  is  a  fruit  of  the  Religious  Life,  productive  of  ad- 
vantage even  in  this  world,  surpassing,  excelling,  the  former  fruits  of 
the  Religious  Life  which  are  productive  of  advantage  in  this  world. 
Than  this,  great  king,  of  all  the  fruits  of  the  Religious  Life,  there  is 
no  fruit  of  the  Religious  Life  higher  or  more  excellent ! 


CHAPTER  XIII 

PARABLES  FROM  THE  MEDIUM-LENGTH  DISCOURSES 
ON  TWO  KINDS  OF  HERDSMEN 

180.  MARA,  THE  WICKED  HERDSMAN 
Majjhima  25:  i.  151-160. 

Thus  have  I  heard:  Once  upon  a  time  the  Exalted  One  was  in  residence 
at  Savatthi,  at  Jetavana,  in  Anathapindika's  Grove.  At  that  time  the 
Exalted  One  addressed  the  monks:  "Monks!"  "Reverend  Sir!"  said 
those  monks  to  the  Exalted  One  in  reply.  The  Exalted  One  said  this: 

The  hunter  does  not  strew  bait  for  the  herds  of  deer  with  the 
thought:  "Let  the  herds  of  deer,  enjoying  this  bait  which  I  have 
strewn,  be  long-lived,  possess  beauty,  maintain  themselves  for  long, 
for  a  long  time!"  With  this  thought,  rather,  does  the  hunter 
strew  bait  for  the  herds  of  deer :  "The  herds  of  deer,  having  nibbled 
this  bait  which  I  have  strewn,  will  eat  food  to  their  confusion. 
Having  nibbled,  eating  food  to  their  confusion,  they  will  become 
intoxicated.  Being  intoxicated,  they  will  become  heedless.  Being 
heedless,  they  will  come  into  my  power  to  do  with  as  I  will,  all  by 
reason  of  this  bait." 

Of  four  herds  of  deer,  the  first,  having  nibbled  that  bait  which 
the  hunter  had  strewn,  ate  food  to  their  confusion.  Under  those 
circumstances,  having  nibbled,  eating  food  to  tlicir  confusion, 
they  became  intoxicated.  Being  intoxicated,  they  became  heedless. 
Being  heedless,  they  came  into  the  power  of  the  hunter  to  do  with 
as  he  would,  all  by  reason  of  that  bait.  For  so  that  first  herd  of 
deer  did  not  escape  from  the  power  and  might  of  the  hunter. 

Of  four  herds  of  deer,  the  second  thus  reflected :  "The  first  herd 
of  deer  did  thus  and  so,  and  came  to  such  and  such  an  end.  Suppose 
we  were  to  refrain  altogether  from  eating  the  bait !  Suppose,  re- 
fraining from  this  perilous  food,  we  were  to  plunge  into  forest- 


Par.  180.]  Wicked  Herdsman  259 

abodes  and  dwell  therein !"  They  refrained  altogether  from  eating 
the  bait.  Refraining  from  that  perilous  food,  they  plunged  into 
forest-abodes  and  dwelt  therein. 

In  the  last  of  the  hot  months  the  grass  and  water  gave  out,  and 
their  bodies  became  excessively  lean.  Their  bodies  becoming  exces- 
sively lean,  their  strength  and  vigor,  came  to  an  end.  Their 
strength  and  vigor  coming  to  an  end,  they  returned  to  that  same 
bait  which  the  hunter  had  strewn.  Under  those  circumstances, 
having  nibbled,  they  ate  food  to  their  confusion.  Under  those 
circumstances,  having  nibbled,  eating  food  to  their  confusion,  they 
became  intoxicated.  Being  intoxicated,  they  became  heedless. 
Being  heedless,  they  came  into  the  power  of  the  hunter  to  do  with 
as  he  would,  all  by  reason  of  that  bait.  For  so  that  second  herd  of 
deer  also  did  not  escape  from  the  power  and  might  of  the  hunter. 

Of  four  herds  of  deer,  the  third  thus  reflected :  "The  first  herd 
of  deer  did  thus  and  so,  and  came  to  such  and  such  an  end.  The 
second  herd  of  deer  also  did  thus  and  so,  and  came  to  such  and 
such  an  end.  Suppose  we  were  to  make  our  resort  near  this  bait 
which  the  hunter  has  strewn  !  Having  made  our  resort  here,  not 
having  nibbled  this  bait  which  the  hunter  has  strewn,  we  shall  eat 
food  without  confusion.  Not  having  nibbled,  eating  food  without 
confusion,  we  shall  not  become  intoxicated.  Being  unintoxicated, 
we  shall  not  become  heedless.  Being  heedful,  we  shall  not  come  into 
the  power  of  the  hunter  to  do  with  as  he  will,  all  by  reason  of  this 
bait."  They  did  so.  They  came  not  into  the  power  of  the  hunter. 

Then  to  the  hunter  and  his  men  occurred  the  following  thought : 
"How  cunning  are  the  deer  of  this  third  herd !  how  discriminating ! 
How  marvelous  are  the  powers  of  the  deer  of  this  third  herd,  these 
strangers  !  Not  only  do  they  enjoy  this  bait  which  has  been  strewn, 
but  we  know  neither  their  coming  nor  their  going!  Suppose  we 
were  completely  to  surround  this  bait  which  has  been  strewn, 
ground  and  all,  with  a  palisade  of  tall  stakes !  Perhaps  we  might 
see  the  resort  of  the  deer  of  this  third  herd,  where  they  go  to  get 
their  food."  They  completely  surrounded  that  bait  which  had  been 
strewn,  ground  and  all,  with  a  palisade  of  tall  stakes.  The  hunter 
and  his  men  saw  the  resort  of  the  deer  of  that  third  herd,  where 
they  went  to  get  their  food.  For  so  that  third  herd  of  deer  also 
did  not  escape  from  the  power  and  might  of  the  hunter. 


260  Four  Herds  of  Deer  [Chap.  XIII. 

Of  four  herds  of  deer,  the  fourth  thus  reflected :  "The  first  herd 
of  deer  did  thus  and  so,  and  came  to  such  and  such  an  end.  The 
second  herd  of  deer  also  did  thus  and  so,  and  came  to  such  and 
such  an  end.  The  third  herd  of  deer  also  did  thus  and  so,  and  came 
to  such  and  such  an  end.  Suppose  we  were  to  make  our  resort 
where  the  hunter  and  his  men  do  not  come !  Having  made  our 
resort  here,  not  having  nibbled  this  bait  which  the  hunter  has 
strewn,  we  shall  eat  food  without  confusion.  Not  having  nibbled, 
eating  food  without  confusion,  we  shall  not  become  intoxicated. 
Being  unintoxicated,  we  shall  not  become  heedless.  Being  heedful, 
we  shall  not  come  into  the  power  of  the  hunter  to  do  with  as  he 
will,  all  by  reason  of  this  bait."  They  did  so.  They  came  not  into 
the  power  of  the  hunter. 

Then  to  the  hunter  and  his  men  occurred  the  following  thought : 
"How  cunning  are  the  deer  of  this  fourth  herd !  how  discriminat- 
ing! How  marvelous  are  the  powers  of  the  deer  of  this  fourth  herd, 
these  strangers!  Not  only  do  they  enjoy  this  bait  which  has  been 
strewn,  but  we  know  neither  their  coming  nor  their  going !  Suppose 
we  were  completely  to  surround  this  bait  which  has  been  strewn, 
ground  and  all,  with  a  palisade  of  tall  stakes !  Perhaps  we  might 
see  the  resort  of  the  deer  of  this  fourth  herd,  where  they  go  to  get 
their  food."  But  the  hunter  and  his  men  never  so  much  as  saw  the 
resort  of  the  deer  of  that  fourth  herd,  where  they  went  to  get  their 
food. 

Then  to  the  hunter  and  his  men  occurred  the  following  thought : 
"If  we  alarm  the  deer  of  this  fourth  herd,  they,  alarmed,  will  alarm 
others ;  and  they,  alarmed,  will  alarm  others ;  under  such  circum- 
stances the  herds  of  deer  will  abandon  for  good  and  all  this  bait 
which  has  been  strewn.  Suppose  we  were  to  ignore  the  deer  of 
this  fourth  herd !"  Tlie  hunter  and  his  men  ignored  the  deer  of  that 
fourth  herd.  For  so  that  fourth  herd  of  deer  escaped  from  the 
power  and  might  of  the  hunter. 

A  parable,  0  monks,  I  here  give  unto  you,  that  ye  may  under- 
stand the  meaning  of  the  matter.  And  this  alone  is  the  meaning 
of  the  matter:  The  Bait,  0  monks,  typifies  the  Five  Pleasures  of 
Sense.  The  Hunter,  0  monks,  typifies  Mara  the  Evil  One.  The 
Retinue  of  the  Hunter,  0  monks,  typifies  the  Iietinu£  of  Mara  the 


Par.  180.]  Wicked  Herdsman  261 

Eif^il  One.  The  Herds  of  Deer,  0  monks,  typify  monks  and  Brah- 
mans. 

Of  four  groups  of  monks  and  Brahmans,  the  first,  having 
nibbled  that  bait  which  Mara  had  strc%vn,  those  allurements  of  the 
world,  ate  food  to  their  confusion.  Under  those  circumstances, 
having  nibbled,  eating  food  to  their  confusion,  they  became  intoxi- 
cated. Being  intoxicated,  they  became  heedless.  Being  heedless, 
they  came  into  the  power  of  Mara  to  do  with  as  he  would,  all  by 
reason  of  that  bait,  those  allurements  of  the  world.  For  so  that 
first  group  of  monks  and  Brahmans  did  not  escape  from  the  power 
and  might  of  Mara.  Unto  the  first  herd  of  deer  in  this  parable  do 
I  liken  this  first  group  of  monks  and  Brahmans. 

Of  four  groups  of  monks  and  Brahmans,  the  second  thus  re- 
flected: "The  first  group  of  monks  and  Brahmans  did  thus  and 
so,  and  came  to  such  and  such  an  end.  Suppose  we  were  to  refrain 
altogether  from  eating  the  bait,  the  allurements  of  the  world ! 
Suppose,  refraining  from  this  perilous  food,  we  were  to  plunge 
into  forest-abodes  and  dwell  therein !"  They  refrained  altogether 
from  eating  the  bait,  the  allurements  of  the  world.  Refraining 
from  that  perilous  food,  they  plunged  into  forest-abodes  and  dwelt 
therein.  There  their  food  consisted  of  pot-herbs,  millet,  paddy, 
wild  rice,  scraps,  rice-dust,  scum  of  boiled  rice,  cotton-seed,  grass, 
cow-dung.  There,  confirmed  vegetarians  that  they  were,  they  sub- 
sisted on  a  diet  of  roots  and  fruits  of  the  forest. 

In  the  last  of  the  hot  months  the  grass  and  water  gave  out,  and 
their  bodies  became  excessively  lean.  Their  bodies  becoming  ex- 
cessively lean,  their  strength  and  vigor  came  to  an  end.  Their 
strength  and  vigor  coming  to  an  end,  their  emancipation  of  heart 
came  to  an  end.  Their  emancipation  of  heart  coming  to  an  end, 
they  returned  to  that  same  bait  which  Mara  had  strew^n,  those 
allurements  of  the  world.  Under  those  circumstances,  having 
nibbled,  they  ate  food  to  their  confusion.  Under  those  circum- 
stances, having  nibbled,  eating  food  to  their  confusion,  they  be- 
came intoxicated.  Being  intoxicated,  they  became  heedless.  Being 
heedless,  they  came  into  the  power  of  Mara  to  do  with  as  he  would, 
all  by  reason  of  that  bait,  those  allurements  of  the  world.  For  so 
that  second  group  of  monks  and  Brahmans  also  did  not  escape 


262  Four  Herds  of  Deer  [Chap.  XIII. 

from  the  power  and  might  of  ]\Iara,  Unto  the  second  herd  of  deer 
in  this  parable  do  I  liken  this  second  group  of  monks  and  Brah- 
mans. 

Of  four  groups  of  monks  and  Brahmans,  the  third  thus  re- 
flected: "The  first  group  of  monks  and  Brahmans  did  thus  and 
so,  and  came  to  such  and  such  an  end.  The  second  group  of  monks 
and  Brahmans  also  did  thus  and  so,  and  came  to  such  and  such  an 
end.  Suppose  we  were  to  make  our  resort  near  this  bait  which 
Mara  has  strewn,  these  allurements  of  the  world!  Having  made 
our  resort  here,  not  having  nibbled  this  bait  which  Mara  has 
strewn,  these  allurements  of  the  world,  we  shall  eat  food  without 
confusion.  Not  having  nibbled,  eating  food  without  confusion,  we 
shall  not  become  intoxicated.  Being  unintoxicated,  we  shall  not 
become  heedless.  Being  heedful,  we  shall  not  come  into  the  power  of 
Mara  to  do  with  as  he  will,  all  by  reason  of  this  bait,  these  allure- 
ments of  the  world."  They  did  so.  They  came  not  into  the  power 
of  ]Mara. 

However,  they  held  the  following  views:  'The  world  is  eternal.' 
'The  world  is  not  eternal.'  'The  world  is  finite.'  'The  world  is 
infinite.'  'The  soul  and  the  body  are  identical.'  'The  soul  and  the 
body  are  distinct.'  'The  Tatliagata  exists  after  death.'  'The 
Tathagata  does  not  exist  after  death.'  'The  Tathagata  both  exists 
and  does  not  exist  after  death.'  'The  Tathagata  neither  exists  nor 
does  not  exist  after  death.'  For  so  that  third  group  of  monks  and 
Brahmans  also  did  not  escape  from  the  power  and  might  of  Mara. 
Unto  the  third  herd  of  deer  in  this  parable  do  I  liken  this  third 
group  of  monks  and  Brahmans. 

Of  four  groups  of  monks  and  Brahmans,  the  fourth  thus  re- 
flected :  "The  first  group  of  monks  and  Brahmans  did  thus  and  so, 
and  came  to  such  and  such  an  end.  The  second  group  of  monks  and 
Brahmans  also  did  thus  and  so,  and  came  to  such  and  such  an  end. 
The  third  group  of  monks  and  Brahmans  also  did  thus  and  so,  and 
came  to  such  and  such  an  end.  Suppose  we  were  to  make  our  resort 
where  the  Mara  and  his  retinue  do  not  come !  Having  made  our  re- 
sort here,  not  having  nibbled  this  bait  which  Mara  has  strewn,  these 
allurements  of  the  world,  we  shall  eat  food  without  confusion.  Not 
having  nibbled,  eating  food  without  confusion,  we  sliall  not  become 


Par.  180.]  Wicked  Herdsman  263 

intoxicated.  Being  unintoxicated,  we  shall  not  become  heedless. 
Being  heedful,  we  shall  not  come  into  the  power  of  Mara  to  do  with 
as  he  will,  all  by  reason  of  this  bait,  these  allurements  of  the 
world."  They  did  so.  They  came  not  into  the  power  of  Mara.  For 
so  that  fourth  group  of  monks  and  Brahmans  escaped  from  the 
power  and  might  of  Mfira.  Unto  the  fourth  herd  of  deer  in  this 
parable  do  I  liken  this  fourth  group  of  monks  and  Brahmans. 


DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  EYE  OF  MARA 

The  Four  Trances. 

"And  how,  O  monks,  does  one  get  beyond  the  reach  of  ]Mara  and  his 
retinue?  Here  in  this  world,  O  monks^  dwells  a  monk  who  has  utterly 
isolated  himself  from  the  Pleasures  of  Sense,  who  has  isolated  himself 
from  evil  states  of  mind^  who  has  entered  upon  the  First  Trance, — a 
trance  with  which  is  associated  reasoning,  with  which  is  associated  in- 
vestigation, which  has  its  beginning  in  isolation^  which  is  full  of  joy 
and  bliss.  With  reference  to  this  monk,  O  monks,  it  is  said  of  him:  'He 
has  made  Mara  blind;  he  has  destroyed  the  Eye  of  Mara,  leaving  not 
a  trace ;  he  is  gone  out  of  sight  of  the  Evil  One.' 

"But  again  further,  O  monks,  dwells  a  monk  who,  through  the  cessa- 
tion of  reasoning  and  investigation,  has  entered  upon  the  Second 
Trance, — a  trance  devoid  of  reasoning,  devoid  of  investigation,  a  tran- 
quillization  of  the  inner  self,  a  focussing  of  the  thoughts,  which  has 
its  beffinnins:  in  Concentration,  which  is  full  of  iov  and  bliss.  With 
reference  to  this  monk,  O  monks,  it  is  said  of  him:  'He  has  made 
Mara  blind;  he  has  destroyed  the  Eye  of  Mara,  leaving  not  a  trace; 
he  is  gone  out  of' sight  of  the  Evil  One.' 

"But  again  further,  O  monks^  dwells  a  monk,  indifferent  to  joy  and 
to  absence  of  passion,  and  mindful,  and  conscious,  experiencing  bliss 
in  the  body, — a  monk  of  whom  the  Noble  say,  'He  is  indifferent;  he 
is  mindful;  he  dwells  in  bliss;'- — dwells  a  monk  who  has  entered  upon 
the  Third  Trance.  With  reference  to  this  monk,  O  monks,  it  is  said  of 
him:  'He  has  made  Mara  blind;  he  has  destroyed  the  Eye  of  Mara, 
leaving  not  a  trace;  he  is  gone  out  of  sight  of  the  Evil  One.' 

"But  again  further,  O  monks,  dwells  a  monk  who,  through  the 
putting  away  of  bliss,  through  the  putting  away  of  suffering,  through 
the  destruction  even  of  former  satisfaction  and  dissatisfaction,  has 
entered  upon  the  Fourth  Trance, — a  trance  devoid  of  suffering,  devoid 
of  bliss, — the  perfection  of  indifference  and  mindfulness.  With  refer- 
ence to  this  monk,  O  monks,  it  is  said  of  him:  'He  has  made  Mara 
blind;  he  has  destroyed  the  Eye  of  Mara,  leaving  not  a  trace;  he  is 
gone  out  of  sight  of  the  Evil  One.' 


264  Enlightenment  of  Got ama  [Chap.  XIII. 

Knowledge  of  the  means  of  destroying  the  Three  Contaminations. 

"But  again  further^  O  monks,  dwells  a  monk  who,  through  passing 
altogether  beyond  perceptions  of  form^  through  the  sinking  to  rest  of 
perceptions  of  obstacles,  through  inattention  to  perceptions  of  diver- 
sity, perceiving,  'Infinite  is  space,'  has  entered  upon  the  realm  of  the 
infinity  of  space.  With  reference  to  this  monk,  O  monks,  it  is  said  of 
him:  'He  has  made  Mara  blind;  he  has  destroyed  the  Eye  of  Mara, 
leaving  not  a  trace ;  he  is  gone  out  of  sight  of  the  Evil  One.' 

"But  again  further,  O  monks,  dwells  a  monk  who,  having  altogether 
passed  beyond  the  realm  of  tlie  infinity  of  space,  perceiving,  'Infinite 
is  consciousness,'  has  entered  upon  the  realm  of  the  infinity  of  con- 
sciousness. With  reference  to  this  monk,  O  monks,  it  is  said  of  him: 
'He  has  made  Mara  blind;  he  has  destroyed  the  Eye  of  Mara,  leaving 
not  a  trace;  he  is  gone  out  of  sight  of  the  Evil  One.' 

"But  again  further,  O  monks,  dwells  a  monk  who,  having  altogether 
passed  beyond  the  realm  of  the  infinity  of  consciousness,  perceiving, 
'There  exists  nothing  at  all,'  has  entered  upon  the  realm  of  nothing- 
ness. With  reference  to  this  monk,  O  monks,  it  is  said  of  him:  'He  has 
made  Mara  blind;  he  has  destroyed  the  Eye  of  Mara,  leaving  not  a 
trace;  he  is  gone  out  of  sight  of  the  Evil  One.' 

"But  again  further,  O  monks,  dwells  a  monk  who,  having  altogether 
passed  beyond  the  realm  of  nothingness,  has  entered  upon  the  realm  of 
neither  perception  nor  non-perception.  With  reference  to  this  monk, 
O  monks,  it  is  said  of  him:  'He  has  made  Mara  blind;  he  has  destroyed 
the  Eve  of  Mara,  leaving  not  a  trace;  he  is  gone  out  of  sight  of  the 
Evil  One.' 

"But  again  further,  O  monks,  dwells  a  monk  who,  having  altogether 
passed  beyond  the  realm  of  neither  perception  nor  non-perception,  has 
entered  upon  cessation  of  perception  and  sensation ; — when,  in  his 
wisdom,  he  sees  this,  the  Contaminations  fall  away  from  him.  With 
reference  to  this  monk,  O  monks,  it  is  said  of  him:  'He  has  made  Mara 
blind;  he  has  destroyed  the  Eye  of  Mara,  leaving  not  a  trace;  he  is 
gone  out  of  sight  of  the  Evil  One.  He  has  got  beyond  attachment  for 
the  Avorld.'  " 

Thus  spoke  the  Exalted  One.  Delighted  in  heart,  those  monks  ap- 
plauded the  words  of  the  Exalted  One. 


181-183.  THE  BUDDHA,  THE  GOOD  HERDSMAN  I 
Majjhima  19:  i.  114-118. 

Thus  have  I  heard:  Once  upon  a  time  the  Exalted  One  was  in  residence 
at  Savatthi,  at  Jetavana,  in  Anathapindika's  Mango  Grove.  At  that 
time  the  Exalted  One  addressed  tlie  monks:  "Monks!"  "Reverend 
Sir !"  said  those  monks  to  the  Exalted  One  in  reply.  The  Exalted  One 
said  this: 


Par.  181-183.]  Good  Herdsman  I  265 

How  Gotama  mastered  his  thougJits. 

"Even  before  my  Complete  Enlightenment,  before  I  became  a 
Supreme  Buddha,  while  I  was  yet  a  mere  Buddha-to-bc,  tlie  following 
thought  occurred  to  me:  'Suppose,  during  my  monastic  residence,  1 
were  to  separate  my  thoughts  into  two  groups !'  Accordingly  I  made 
this  one  group  of  these  thoughts  of  the  pleasures  of  sense  and  of  ill- 
will  and  of  injury,  and  this  other  group  of  these  thoughts  of  the  re- 
nunciation of  the  pleasures  of  sense  and  of  good- will  and  of  non-injury. 

"So  when,  as  I  resided  thus  heedful,  ardent,  resolute,  a  thought  of 
the  pleasures  of  sense  arose  within  me,  I  perceived  the  following: 
'Arisen  within  me  indeed  is  this  thought  of  the  pleasures  of  sense. 
And  this  thought  indeed  conduces  both  to  the  ruin  of  self  and  to  the 
ruin  of  others, — even  to  the  ruin  both  of  self  and  of  others.  It  is 
destructive  of  wisdom,  it  is  in  league  with  ruin,  it  does  not  conduce  to 
Nibbana.' 

"Even  as  I  considered  within  myself,  'This  thought  conduces  to  the 
ruin  of  self,'  this  thought  utterly  faded  away.  Even  as  I  considered 
within  myself,  'This  thought  conduces  to  the  ruin  of  others,'  this 
thought  utterly  faded  away. 

"Even  as  I  considered  within  myself,  'This  thought  conduces  both 
to  the  ruin  of  self  and  to  the  ruin  of  others,'  this  thought  utterly 
faded  away.  Even  as  I  considered  within  myself,  'This  thought  is 
destructive  of  wisdom,  is  in  league  with  ruin,  does  not  conduce  to 
Nibbana,'  this  thought  utterly  faded  away.  Thus,  every  single  time  a 
thought  of  the  pleasures  of  sense  arose  within  me,  I  absolutely  rejected 
it,  I  absolutely  banished  it,  I  absolutely  abolished  it.  So  likewise  with 
the  thoughts  of  ill-will  and  the  thoughts  of  injury. 

"Whatsoever  a  monk  considers  much,  ponders  much,  to  that  does 
his  heart  incline.  If  it  be  a  thought  of  the  pleasures  of  sense  that  a 
monk  considers  much,  ponders  much,  he  has  rejected  the  thought  of 
the  renunciation  of  the  pleasures  of  sense;  he  has  made  much  of  the 
thought  of  the  pleasures  of  sense;  to  the  thought  of  the  pleasures  of 
sense  does  that  heart  of  his  incline.  So  likewise  with  the  thoughts  of 
ill-will  and  the  thoughts  of  injury." 


181.  HERD  OF  COWS 

It  is  precisely  as  if,  in  the  last  of  the  months  of  the  rains,  in  the 
autumn  time,  when  the  crops  are  grown  thick,  a  herdsman  were 
to  tend  his  cows.  That  herdsman  with  his  stick  would  drive  those 
cows  away  from  this,  from  that;  would  guide  those  cows  away 
from  this,  from  that;  would  restrain  them,  would  restrict  them. 
Why  would  he  do  so.''  Because  that  herdsman  sees  in  this,  in  that, 
a  cause  of  death  or  capture  or  injury  or  harm. 


266  Enliglitenm£nt  of  Gotnma  [Chap.  XIII. 

"Precisely  so  I  saw  the  disadvantage,  the  worthlessness,  the  con- 
tamination, of  evil  ways ;  of  good  ways,  I  saw  advantage  in  the  renun- 
ciation of  the  pleasures  of  sense,  I  saw  tlie  same  in  league  with  purity. 

How  Gotcima  concentrated  his  thoughts. 

"So  when,  as  I  resided  thus  heedful,  ardent,  resolute,  the  thought 
of  the  renunciation  of  the  pleasures  of  sense  arose  within  me,  I  per- 
ceived the  following:  'Arisen  within  me  indeed  is  this  thought  of  the 
renunciation  of  the  pleasures  of  sense.  And  this  thought  indeed  does 
not  conduce  to  the  ruin  of  self,  does  not  conduce  to  the  ruin  of  others, 
— does  not  conduce  either  to  the  ruin  of  self  or  to  the  ruin  of  others. 
It  increases  wisdom,  it  is  in  league  with  good-will,  it  conduces  to 
Nibbfma.' 

"Did  I  by  night  consider  this,  ponder  this,  I  saw  therein  no  cause  of 
fear.  Did  I  by  day  consider  this,  ponder  this,  I  saw  therein  no  cause 
of  fear.  Did  I  by  night  and  day  consider  this,  ponder  this,  I  saw 
tlierein  no  cause  of  fear.  'However,'  thought  I,  'should  I  consider  this, 
should  I  ponder  this,  too  long,  my  body  is  likely  to  grow  weary.  Should 
my  body  grow  weary,  my  thoughts  are  likely  to  become  agitated. 
Sliould  my  thoughts  become  agitated,  my  thoughts  will  be  far  removed 
from  Concentration.'  Accordingly  I  stablished  my  very  inmost  thoughts, 
I  settled  them,  I  focussed  them,  I  concentrated  them.  Why  did  I  do 
this  }  'Let  not  my  thoughts  become  agitated !'  So  likewise  with  thoughts 
of  good-will  and  thoughts  of  non-injury. 

"Whatsoever  a  monk  considers  much,  ponders  much,  to  tliat  does 
his  heart  incline.  If  it  be  the  thought  of  the  renunciation  of  the  pleas- 
ures of  sense  that  a  monk  considers  much,  ponders  much,  he  has  re- 
jected the  thought  of  the  pleasures  of  sense;  he  has  made  much  of  the 
thought  of  the  renunciation  of  the  pleasures  of  sense ;  to  tlie  thouglit 
of  tlie  renunciation  of  the  pleasures  of  sense  does  his  heart  incline.  So 
likewise  with  thoughts  of  good-will  and  thoughts  of  non-injury." 


182.  HERD  OF  COWS 

It  is  precisely  as  if,  in  the  last  of  the  months  of  the  rains,  when 
all  of  the  crops  have  been  brought  together  on  the  outskirts  of  the 
village,  a  herdsman  were  to  tend  his  cows.  Whether  he  sits  at  the 
foot  of  a  tree  or  out  in  the  open,  his  business  is  ever  and  always  to 
be  mindful  of  the  fact:  "There  are  the  cows!" 

"Precisely  so  it  was  my  business  ever  and  always  to  be  mindful  of 
the  fact:  'There  are  the  good  and  the  evil  ways !' 


Par.  181-183.]  Good  Herdsman  I  267 

HOW  GOTAMA  ATTAINED  ENLIGHTENMENT 

The  Four  Trances. 

"Aroused  indeed  was  my  vigor,  not  relaxed;  fixed  was  my  attention, 
not  distracted;  tranquil  was  my  body,  not  agitated;  concentrated  were 
my  thoughts,  focussed  on  a  single  point.  Thus  did  I  dwell,  having 
utterly  isolated  myself  from  the  pleasures  of  sense,  having  isolated 
myself  from  evil  ways,  having  entered  upon  the  First  Trance,  with 
which  is  associated  reasoning,  with  which  is  associated  investigation, 
which  has  its  beginning  in  isolation,  which  is  full  of  joy  and  bliss. 

"Tlien  did  I  dwell,  through  the  cessation  of  reasoning  and  investiga- 
tion, having  entered  upon  the  Second  Trance, — a  trance  devoid  of 
reasoning,  devoid  of  investigation,  a  tranquillization  of  the  inner  self, 
a  focussing  of  the  thoughts,  which  has  its  beginning  in  Concentration, 
which  is  full  of  joy  and  bliss. 

"Then  did  I  dwell,  indifferent  to  joy  and  to  absence  of  passion,  and 
mindful,  and  conscious,  experiencing  bliss  in  the  body, — a  monk  such 
as  he  of  whom  the  Noble  say,  'He  is  indiiferent;  he  is  mindful;  he 
dwells  in  bliss ;' — I  dwelt,  having  entered  upon  the  Third  Trance. 

"Then  did  I  dwell,  through  the  putting  away  of  bliss,  through  the 
putting  away  of  suffering,  through  the  destruction  even  of  former  satis- 
faction and  dissatisfaction,  having  entered  upon  the  Fourth  Trance, — a 
trance  devoid  of  suffering,  devoid  of  bliss, — the  perfection  of  indif- 
ference and  mindfulness. 

Recollection  of  previous  states  of  existence. 

"My  thoughts  thus  concentrated,  purified,  cleansed,  stainless,  free 
from  contamination,  impressionable,  tractable,  steadfast,  immovable, 
I  bent  my  thoughts  to  the  recollection  and  knowledge  of  previous  states 
of  existence.  I  called  to  mind  manifold  and  various  previous  states 
of  existence,  to  wit:  one  birth,  two  births,  three  births,  four  births,  five 
births,  ten  births,  twenty  births,  thirty  births,  forty  births,  fifty  births, 
a  hundred  births,  a  thousand  births,  a  hundred  thousand  births,  innu- 
merable periods  of  dissolution,  innumerable  periods  of  evolution,  innu- 
merable periods  of  dissolution  and  evolution. 

"There  was  I!  Such  was  my  name!  such  my  family!  such  my 
appearance!  such  my  gettings !  such  the  pleasure  and  pain  I  experi- 
enced! such  the  termination  of  my  life!  Passing  from  this  state  of 
existence,  I  was  reborn  in  that.  There  again  was  I !  Such  was  my 
name !  such  my  family !  such  my  appearance !  such  my  gettings  !  such 
the  pleasure  and  pain  I  experienced !  such  the  termination  of  my  life ! 
Passing  from  that  state  of  existence,  I  was  reborn  here. 

"Thus  did  I  call  to  mind  manifold  and  various  states  of  existence, 
together  with  their  characteristics,  together  with  their  particulars. 
This,  verily,  in  the  first  watch  of  the  night,  was  the  first  knowledge  I 


268  Enlightenment  of  Gotama  [Chap.  XIII. 

acquired, — ignorance  shattered,  knowledge  arisen;  darkness  shattered, 
light  arisen, — as  I  dwelt  heedful,  ardent,  resolute. 

The  Heavenly  Eye. 

"My  thoughts  thus  concentrated,  purified,  cleansed,  stainless,  free 
from  contamination,  impressionable,  tractable,  steadfast,  immovable,  I 
bent  my  thoughts  to  the  knowledge  of  the  passing  out  of  existence  and 
the  coming  into  existence  of  living  beings.  With  the  Heavenly  Eye, 
purified,  transcending  that  of  man,  I  beheld  living  beings  passing  out 
of  existence  and  coming  into  existence: — the  lowly,  the  high-born;  the 
well-appearing,  the  ill-appearing;  those  in  good  circumstances,  those 
in  poor  circumstances. 

"Reborn  according  to  their  deeds  did  I  perceive  all  living  beings: 
'These  living  beings,  verily,  guilty  of  evil  deeds,  guilty  of  evil  words, 
guilty  of  evil  thoughts,  defamers  of  the  Noble,  holders  of  wrong 
views,  followers  of  courses  of  conduct  corresponding  to  wrong  views,^ — - 
these  living  beings,  upon  dissolution  of  the  body,  at  death,  are  reborn 
in  a  state  of  loss,  in  a  state  of  suffering,  in  a  state  of  punishment,  in 
hell. 

"  'But  these  other  living  beings,  having  good  deeds  to  their  credit, 
having  good  words  to  their  credit,  having  good  thoughts  to  their  credit, 
not  being  defamers  of  the  Noble,  holders  of  right  views,  followers  of 
courses  of  conduct  corresponding  to  right  views, — these  living  beings, 
upon  dissolution  of  the  body,  at  death,  are  reborn  in  a  state  of  bliss, 
in  a  heavenly  world.' 

"Thus,  with  the  Heavenly  Eye,  purified,  transcending  that  of  man, 
I  beheld  living  beings  passing  out  of  existence  and  coming  into  exist- 
ence:— the  lowly,  the  high-born;  the  well-appearing,  the  ill-appearing; 
those  in  good  circumstances,  those  in  poor  circumstances.  Reborn  ac- 
cording to  their  deeds  did  I  perceive  all  living  beings.  This,  verily,  in 
the  second  watch  of  the  night,  was  the  second  knowledge  I  acquired, — 
ignorance  shattered,  knowledge  arisen ;  darkness  shattered,  light  arisen, 
■ — as  I  dwelt  heedful,  ardent,  resolute. 

Knowledge  of  the  means  of  destroying  the  Three  Contaminations. 

"My  thoughts  thus  concentrated,  purified,  cleansed,  stainless,  free 
from  contamination,  impressionable,  tractable,  steadfast,  immovable.  I 
bent  my  thoughts  to  the  knowledge  of  the  destruction  of  the  Con- 
taminations. 'This  is  Suffering!' — I  comprehended  Suffering  in  its  ful- 
ness. 'This  is  the  Origin  of  Suffering!' — I  comprehended  the  Origin  of 
Suffering  in  its  fulness.  'This  is  the  Cessation  of  Suffering!' — I  com- 
prehended the  Cessation  of  Suffering  in  its  fulness.  'This  is  the  Way 
to  the  Cessation  of  Suffering!' — I  compreliended  the  Way  to  the  Cessa- 
tion of  Suffering  in  its  fulness. 

"  'These  are  the  Contaminations !' — I  comprehended  the  Contamina- 
tions in  their  fulness.  'This  is  the  Origin  of  the  Contaminations !'— I 


Par.  181-183.]  Good  Herdsman  I  269 

comprehended  the  Origin  of  the  Contaminations  in  its  fulness.  'This  is 
the  Cessation  of  the  Contaminations !' — I  comprehended  the  Cessation 
of  the  Contaminations  in  its  fulness.  'This  is  the  Way  to  the  Cessation 
of  the  Contaminations !' — I  comprehended  the  Way  to  the  Cessation 
of  the  Contaminations  in  its  fulness. 

"Lo !  as  I  thus  perceived,  as  I  thus  beheld,  my  thoughts  were  de- 
livered from  the  Contamination  of  Craving  for  the  Pleasures  of  Sense, 
my  thoughts  were  delivered  from  the  Contamination  of  Craving  for 
Existence,  my  thoughts  were  delivered  from  the  Contamination  of 
Ignorance.  The  knowledge  came  to  me:  'In  the  Delivered  is  Deliver- 
ance!' I  came  to  comprehend:  'Rebirth  is  at  an  end!  lived  is  the  Holy 
Life !  done  is  what  was  to  be  done !  I  am  no  more  for  this  world !'  This, 
verily,  in  the  last  watch  of  the  night,  was  the  third  knowledge  I 
acquired, — ignorance  shattered,  knowledge  arisen ;  darkness  shattered, 
light  arisen, — as  I  dwelt  heedful,  ardent,  resolute." 


183.  HERD  OF  DEER 

It  is  precisely  as  if,  in  a  forest,  in  a  grove,  there  were  a  great 
marsh,  a  swamp,  and  near  it  lived  a  great  herd  of  deer; — and  some 
man  or  other  were  to  happen  along,  not  desiring  their  weal,  not 
desiring  their  welfare,  not  desiring  their  security ; — and  were  to 
close  the  path  which  was  secure,  which  was  safe,  which  led  to  joy; 
and  were  to  open  the  downward  path,  were  to  let  the  deer  into 
the  morass,  were  to  set  them  roving  in  the  water.  For  under  these 
circumstances  that  great  herd  of  deer  would  after  a  time  be 
thinned  out  and  would  come  to  destruction  and  ruin. 

But  on  the  other  hand,  suppose  that  to  that  same  great  lierd  of 
deer  there  came  some  man  or  other,  desiring  their  weal,  desiring 
their  welfare,  desiring  their  security; — he  would  open  the  path 
which  was  secure,  which  was  safe,  which  led  to  joy; — he  would 
close  the  downward  path,  would  cut  them  off  from  the  morass, 
would  prevent  them  from  roving  in  the  water.  For  under  those 
circumstances  that  great  herd  of  deer  would  after  a  time  attain 
increase,  growth,  development. 

A  parable,  0  monks,  I  here  give  unto  you,  that  ye  may  under- 
stand the  meaning  of  the  matter.  And  this  alone  is  the  meaning 
of  the  matter: 

The  great  marsh,  the  swamp,  typifies  the  Pleasures  of  Sense. 
The  great  herd  of  deer  typifies  all  living  beings.  The  man  who 


270  Herd  of  Cattle  [Chap.  XIII. 

desires  not  their  weal,  who  desires  not  their  welfare,  who  desires 
not  their  security,  typifies  Mfira  the  Evil  One.  The  downward  path 
typifies  the  Wrong  Eightfold  Path,  to  wit:  Wrong  Views,  Wrong 
Resolution,  Wrong  Speech,  Wrong  Conduct,  Wrong  Means  of 
Livelihood,  Wrong  Exertion,  Wrong  Mindfulness,  Wrong  Con- 
centration. The  morass  typifies  passion  for  delight.  Roving  in  the 
water  typifies  ignorance. 

The  Buddha,  the  Good  Herdsman. 

The  man  who  desires  their  weal,  who  desires  their  welfare,  who 
desires  their  security,  typifies  the  Tathagata,  the  All-worthy,  the 
Supremely  Enlightened.  The  path  which  is  secure,  which  is  safe, 
which  leads  to  joy,  is  the  Noble  Eightfold  Path,  to  wit:  Right 
Views,  Right  Resolution,  Right  Speech,  Right  Conduct,  Right 
Means  of  Livelihood,  Right  Exertion,  Right  Mindfulness,  Right 
Concentration. 

Thus,  O  monks,  have  I  opened  the  path  which  is  secure,  which 
is  safe,  which  leads  to  joy;  thus  have  I  closed  the  downward  path, 
cut  the  deer  off  from  the  morass,  prevented  them  from  roving  in 
the  water.  All  that  can  be  done  by  a  Teacher  who  desires  the  wel- 
fare of  his  disciples,  who  has  compassion  for  his  disciples,  out  of 
compassion,  all  that  have  I  done  for  you. 

Here,  O  monks,  are  the  roots  of  trees !  here  are  the  abodes  of 
solitude !  Meditate,  O  monks !  be  not  heedless !  have  no  regrets 
hereafter ! 

Thus  spoke  the  Exalted  One.  Delighted  at  heart,  those  monks  ap- 
plauded the  utterance  of  the  Exalted  One. 

184.  THE  BUDDHA,  THE  GOOD  HERDSMAN  II 

Majjhima  34:  i.  225-227. 

Thus  have  I  heard:  Once  upon  a  time  the  Exalted  One  was  in  residence 
among  the  Vajjians,  at  Ukkacela,  on  the  bank  of  the  Ganges  river.  At 
that  time  the  Exalted  One  addressed  tlie  monks:  "Monks!"  "Reverend 
Sir!"  said  those  monks  to  the  Exalted  One  in  reply.  The  Exalted  One 
said  this : 

In  olden  times  a  Magadha  herdsman,  a  stupid  sort  of  fellow,  in 
the  last  of  the  months  of  the  rains,  in  the  autumn  time,  without 
examining  the  near  bank  of  the  Ganges  river,  without  examining 


Pear.  184.]  Good  Herdsman  U  271 

the  far  bank  of  tlie  Ganges  river,  without  so  much  as  finding  a 
ford,  drove  his  cattle  across  to  the  farther  bank,  to  the  territory 
of  the  Suvidehas.  Now  when  tlie  cattle  reached  the  middle  of  the 
stream  of  the  Ganges  river,  they  formed  in  a  circle,  and  then  and 
there  met  destruction  and  death. 

What  was  the  cause  of  this  ? 

It  was  because  that  Magadha  herdsman,  a  stupid  sort  of  fellow, 
in  the  last  of  the  months  of  the  rains,  in  the  autumn  time,  without 
examining  the  near  bank  of  the  Ganges  river,  without  examining 
the  far  bank  of  the  Ganges  river,  without  so  much  as  finding  a  ford, 
drove  his  cattle  across  to  the  farther  bank,  to  the  territory  of  the 
Suvidehas. 

Precisely  so  is  it  with  those  monks  and  Brahmans  who  know  not 
this  world,  who  know  not  the  next  world,  who  know  not  the  realm 
of  Mara,  who  know  not  what  is  not  the  realm  of  Mara,  who  know 
not  the  realm  of  Death,  who  know  not  what  is  not  the  realm  of 
Death, — those  who  shall  decide  that  they  ought  to  listen  to  them, 
that  they  ought  to  put  their  trust  in  them, — it  will  be  to  their 
disadvantage  and  sorro^'  for  a  long  time  to  come. 

In  olden  times  a  Magadha  herdsman,  an  intelligent  kind  of  man, 
in  the  last  of  the  months  of  the  rains,  in  the  autumn  time,  having 
examined  the  near  bank  of  the  Ganges  river,  having  examined  the 
far  bank  of  the  Ganges  river,  having  first  found  a  ford,  drove 
his  cattle  across  to  the  farther  bank,  to  the  territory  of  the 
Suvidehas. 

He  first  drove  across  the  bulls,  the  fathers  of  the  cattle,  the 
leaders  of  the  cattle.  They,  crossing,  cleft  the  stream  of  the 
Ganges  and  went  in  safety  to  the  far  bank.  He  then  drove  across 
the  powerful  cattle,  the  steers.  They,  crossing,  cleft  the  stream  of 
the  Ganges  and  went  in  safety  to  the  far  bank.  He  then  drove 
across  the  larger  calves,  the  larger  heifers.  They,  crossing,  cleft 
the  stream  of  the  Ganges  and  went  in  safety  to  the  far  bank.  He 
then  drove  across  the  little  calves,  the  weaklings.  They,  crossing, 
cleft  the  stream  of  the  Ganges  and  went  in  safety  to  the  far  bank. 

In  that  olden  time  there  was  a  wee  bit  of  a  calf,  a  youngling, 
that  very  moment  born,  guided  by  the  lowing  of  his  mother.  He 
also,  crossing,  cleft  the  stream  of  the  Ganges  and  went  in  safety  to 
the  far  bank. 


272  Herd  of  Cattle  [Chap.  XIII. 

What  was  the  cause  of  this.'' 

It  was  because  that  Magadha  herdsman,  an  intelligent  kind  of 
man,  in  the  last  of  the  months  of  the  rains,  in  the  autumn  time, 
having  examined  the  near  bank  of  the  Ganges  river,  having 
examined  the  far  bank  of  the  Ganges  river,  having  first  found  a 
ford,  drove  his  cattle  across  to  the  farther  bank,  to  the  territory 
of  the  Suvidehas. 

Precisely  so  is  it  with  those  monks  and  Brahmans  who  know 
this  world,  who  know  the  next  world,  who  know  the  realm  of  Mara, 
who  know  what  is  not  the  realm  of  Mara,  who  know  the  realm  of 
Death,  who  know  what  is  not  the  realm  of  Death, — those  who  shall 
decide  that  they  ought  to  listen  to  them,  that  they  ought  to  put 
their  trust  in  them, — it  will  be  to  their  welfare  and  happiness  for 
a  long  time  to  come. 

Just  as  those  bulls,  the  fathers  of  the  cattle,  the  leaders  of  the 
cattle,  crossing,  cleft  the  stream  of  the  Ganges  and  went  in  safety 
to  the  far  bank,  so  also  those  monks  who  are  Saints,  who  have  rid 
themselves  of  the  Contaminations,  who  hflve  completed  residence, 
who  have  done  what  was  to  be  done,  who  have  laid  down  their 
burden,  who  have  achieved  the  welfare  they  desired,  who  have  burst 
the  Bonds,  who  have  attained  Deliverance  through  Right  Knowl- 
edge,— so  also  these  latter,  crossing,  have  cleft  the  Stream  of 
Mara  and  gone  in  safety  to  the  Far  Bank. 

Just  as  those  powerful  cattle,  the  steers,  crossing,  cleft  the 
stream  of  the  Ganges  and  went  in  safety  to  the  far  bank,  so  also 
those  monks  who,  by  the  destruction  of  the  Five  Bonds  which  cause 
rebirth  in  the  Worlds  of  the  Pleasures  of  Sense,  have  obtained  re- 
birth without  the  intervention  of  parents  in  a  heavenly  world,  there 
have  attained  Supreme  Nibbana,  from  that  world  are  destined  to 
return  no  more, — so  also  these  latter,  crossing,  will  cleave  the 
Stream  of  Mara  and  go  in  safety  to  the  Far  Bank. 

Just  as  those  larger  calves,  those  larger  heifers,  crossing,  cleft 
the  stream  of  the  Ganges  and  went  in  safety  to  the  far  bank,  so 
also  those  monks  who,  by  the  destruction  of  the  Three  Bonds, 
by  the  thinning  of  I.ust,  Ill-will,  Delusion,  destined  to  return  but 
once,  returning  but  once  to  this  world,  will  make  an  end  of  suffer- 
ing,— so  also  these  latter,  crossing,  will  cleave  the  Stream  of  Mara 
and  go  in  safety  to  the  Far  Bank. 


Par.  184.]  Good  Herdsman  II  273 

Just  as  those  little  calves,  the  weaklings,  crossing,  cleft  the 
stream  of  the  Ganges  and  went  in  safety  to  the  far  bank,  so  also 
those  monks  who,  by  the  destruction  of  the  Three  Bonds,  have 
attained  the  Fruit  of  Conversion,  who  are  not  destined  to  the 
States  of  Suffering,  who  are  assured  of  Salvation,  who  will  at  last 
attain  Complete  Enlightenment, — so  also  these  latter,  crossing, 
will  cleave  the  Stream  of  Mara  and  go  in  safety  to  the  Far  Bank. 

Just  as  that  wee  bit  of  a  calf,  that  youngling,  at  that  very 
moment  born,  guided  by  the  lowing  of  his  mother,  crossing,  cleft 
the  stream  of  the  Ganges  and  went  in  safety  to  the  far  bank,  so 
also  those  monks  who  walk  in  conformity  with  the  Doctrine,  who 
walk  in  conformity  with  the  Faith, — so  also  these  latter,  crossing, 
will  cleave  the  Stream  of  Mara  and  go  in  safety  to  the  Far  Bank. 

But,  0  monks,  I  am  he  that  krioweth  this  world;  I  am  he  that 
Jcnoweth  the  next  world.  I  am  he  that  knoweth  the  realm  of  Mara; 
I  am  he  that  knoweth  what  is  not  the  realm  of  Mara.  I  am  he  that 
knoweth  the  realm  of  Death;  I  am  he  that  knoweth  what  is  not 
the  realm  of  Death.  They  that  shall  resolve  to  hearken  to  Me,  to 
put  their  trust  in  Me, — it  will  he  to  their  welfare  and  happiness 
for  a  long  time  to  come. 


CHAPTER  XIV 

PARABLES  FROM  THE  MEDIUM-LENGTH  DISCOURSES 
ON  THE  PLEASURES  OF  SENSE 

185-19L  SEVEN  PARABLES 
Maj  jhima  i.  364-367. 

On  a  certain  occasion  the  Buddha  discoursed  to  the  householder  Pota- 
liya  on  the  folly  of  gratifying  the  lusts  of  the  flesh.  Said  he: 

185.  SKELETON 

Suppose,  householder,  a  dog  overcome  by  hunger  and  weakness 
were  to  come  up  to  a  cow-killer's  slaughter-house,  and  the  dex- 
terous cow-killer  or  his  assistant  were  to  throw  the  dog  a  skeleton, 
smeared  with  blood,  scraped  clean  of  flesh,  not  to  be  desired,  by  no 
means  to  be  desired.  What  do  you  think  about  that,  householder? 
Could  that  dog,  by  gnawing  at  that  skeleton,  smeared  with  blood, 
scraped  clean  of  flesh,  not  to  be  desired,  by  no  means  to  be  desired, 
subdue  his  hunger  and  weakness.? 

By  no  means,  Reverend  Sir.  Why  not.?  Because,  Reverend  Sir, 
that  skeleton  is  smeared  with  blood,  scraped  clean  of  flesh,  not  to 
be  desired,  by  no  means  to  be  desired,  insomuch  that  that  dog 
would  suffer  weariness  and  distress. 

Precisely  so,  householder,  the  Noble  Disciple  reflects  as  follows : 
"With  the  parable  of  the  Skeleton  have  the  lusts  of  the  flesh  been 
described  by  the  Exalted  One, — full  of  pain,  full  of  despair, — mani- 
fold the  disadvantages  thereof !" 

Thus,  with  Right  Knowledge,  perceiving  this  truth  in  its  fulness, 
he  utterly  abandons  that  form  of  Indifference  wliich  is  associated  with 
Diversity,  which  depends  on  Diversity,  and  cultivates  that  form  of 
Indifference  which  is  associated  witli  Unity,  wliich  depends  on  Unity, 
wherein  longings  for  the  baits  of  the  world  cease  utterly,  without 
leaving  a  trace. 


Par.  188.]  Pit  of  Red-hot  Coals  275 

186.  PIECE  OF  MEAT 

Suppose,  housholder,  a  vulture  or  a  falcon  or  a  heron  were  to 
rise  up  with  a  piece  of  meat,  and  vultures  and  falcons  and  herons, 
one  after  another,  were  to  fly  after  him  and  peck  at  him  and  seek 
to  make  him  disgusted.  What  do  you  think  about  that,  house- 
holder.'' In  case  that  vulture  or  falcon  or  heron  did  not  very 
quickly  let  go  of  that  piece  of  meat,  would  he  not,  because  of  it, 
incur  death  or  mortal  pain.'' 
Yes  indeed,  Reverend  Sir. 

Precisely  so,  householder,  the  Noble  Disciple  reflects  as  follows: 
"With  the  parable  of  the  Piece  of  Meat  have  the  lusts  of  the  flesh 
been  described  by  the  Exalted  One"   .    .    . 

187.  TORCH  OF  GRASS 

Suppose,  householder,  a  man  were  to  carry  a  blazing  torch  of 
grass  against  the  wind.  What  do  you  think  about  that,  house- 
holder.? In  case  that  man  did  not  very  quickly  let  go  of  that  blaz- 
ing torch  of  grass,  would  not  that  blazing  torch  of  grass  burn  his 
hand  or  burn  his  arm  or  burn  some  other  major  or  minor  member 
of  his  body.?  and  would  he  not,  because  of  it,  incur  death  or  mortal 
pain  ? 

Yes  indeed,  Reverend  Sir. 

Precisely  so,  householder,  the  Noble  Disciple  reflects  as  follows: 
"With  the  parable  of  the  Torch  of  Grass  have  the  lusts  of  the  flesh 
been  described  by  the  Exalted  One"   .    .    . 

188.  PIT  OF  RED-HOT  COALS 

Suppose,  householder,  there  were  a  pit  of  red-hot  coals,  as  deep 
as  the  height  of  a  man,  full  of  red-hot  coals,  free  from  flames,  free 
from  smoke,  and  a  man  were  to  approach, — desiring  to  live,  not 
desiring  to  die, — desiring  pleasure,  averse  to  pain, — and  two 
powerful  men  were  to  seize  him  with  their  several  arms  and  were 
to  drag  him  down  to  that  pit  of  red-hot  coals.  What  do  you  think 
about  that,  householder.?  Would  not  that  man  writhe  and  twist 
his  body  thus  and  so.? 

Yes  indeed.  Reverend  Sir.   And  why.?  Because,  Reverend  Sir, 


276  Pleasures  of  Sense  [Chap.  XIV. 

that  man  would  know  full  well:  "In  case  I  fall  into  that  pit  of  red- 
hot  coals,  because  of  it  I  shall  incur  death  or  mortal  pain." 

Precisely  so,  householder,  the  Noble  Disciple  reflects  as  follows: 
"With  tile  parable  of  the  Pit  of  Red-hot  Coals  have  the  lusts  of  the 
flesh  been  described  by  the  Exalted  One"  .   .   . 

189.  DREAM 

Suppose,  householder,  a  man  were  to  see  in  a  dream  the  delights 
of  the  grove,  the  delights  of  the  forest,  the  delights  of  cleared 
ground,  the  delights  of  the  lotus-pond;  and  suppose  that,  upon 
awakening,  he  were  to  see  nothing  at  all. 

Precisely  so,  householder,  the  Noble  Disciple  reflects  as  follows : 
"With  the  parable  of  the  Dream  have  the  lusts  of  the  flesh  been 
described  by  the  Exalted  One"   .    .    . 

190.  BORROWED  GOODS 

Suppose,  householder,  a  man  were  to  borrow  goods, — a  vehicle,  a 
statue,  a  magnificent  cluster  of  jewels, — and  preceded  and  sur- 
rounded by  those  borrowed  goods,  were  to  enter  among  the  shops ; 
and  suppose  people,  seeing  him,  were  to  speak  thus :  "A  possessor 
indeed  is  that  man!  Thus,  say  we  all,  possessors  possess  posses- 
sions !"  And  suppose  the  owners,  wherever  they  happened  to  see 
him,  were  to  recover  their  oAvn.  What  do  you  think  about  that, 
householder.''  Would  not  that  man  soon  get  his  fill  of  acting  dif- 
ferently from  his  fellows.'* 

Yes  indeed,  Reverend  Sir,  And  wh}'.'*  Because,  Reverend  Sir, 
owners  are  in  the  habit  of  recovering  their  own. 

Precisely  so,  householder,  the  Noble  Disciple  reflects  as  follows: 
"With  the  parable  of  the  Borrowed  Goods  have  the  lusts  of  the  flesh 
been  described  by  the  Exalted  One"  .   .    . 

191.  FRUIT  OF  TREE 

Suppose,  householder,  not  far  from  some  village  or  market-town 
there  were  a  deep  forest-grove,  and  in  that  forest-grove  there  were 
a  tree  abounding  in  fruit,  laden  with  fruit;  and  suppose  a  man 
were  to  approach,  wanting  fruit,  seeking  fruit,  searching  for 
fruit,  and  were  to  plunge  into  that  forest-grove  and  were  to  see 
that  tree  abounding  in  fruit,  laden  with  fruit;  and  suppose  the 


Par.  192.]  Creeper  and  Tree  277 

following  thought  were  to  occur  to  him :  "This  tree  indeed  abounds 
in  fruit,  is  laden  with  fruit,  but  no  fruit  at  all  has  fallen  to  the 
ground.  However,  I  know  how  to  climb  a  tree.  Suppose  I  were  to 
climb  this  tree,  eat  as  much  as  I  want,  and  fill  a  fold  of  my  gar- 
ment !"  And  suppose  he  were  to  climb  that  tree,  were  to  eat  as 
much  as  he  wanted,  and  were  to  fill  a  fold  of  his  garment. 

Suppose  then  a  second  man  were  to  approach,  wanting  fruit, 
seeking  fruit,  searching  for  fruit,  and  suppose  he  had  a  sharp 
axe;  and  suppose  he  were  to  plunge  into  that  forest-grove  and 
were  to  see  that  tree  abounding  in  fruit,  laden  with  fruit;  and 
suppose  the  following  thought  were  to  occur  to  him:  "This  tree 
indeed  abounds  in  fruit,  is  laden  with  fruit,  but  no  fruit  at  all  has 
fallen  to  the  ground.  Now  I  do  not  know  how  to  climb  a  tree. 
Suppose  I  were  to  chop  this  tree  down  at  the  roots,  eat  as  much  as 
I  want,  and  fill  a  fold  of  my  garment !"  And  suppose  he  were  to 
chop  that  tree  down  at  the  roots  ! 

What  do  you  think  about  that,  householder.''  In  case  that  man 
who  came  first  and  climbed  the  tree  did  not  very  quickly  climb 
down,  would  not  that  tree,  as  it  fell,  break  his  hand  or  break  his 
foot  or  break  some  other  major  or  minor  member  of  his  body.''  and 
would  he  not,  because  of  it,  incur  death  or  mortal  pain.'' 

Yes  indeed,  Reverend  Sir. 

Precisely  so,  householder,  the  Noble  Disciple  reflects  as  follows : 
"With  the  parable  of  the  Fruit  of  the  Tree  have  the  lusts  of  the 
flesh  been  described  by  the  Exalted  One, — full  of  pain,  full  of  despair, 
— manifold  the  disadvantages  thereof!" 

Thus,  with  Right  Knowledge,  perceiving  this  truth  in  its  fulness,  he 
utterly  abandons  that  form  of  Indifference  which  is  associated  with 
Diversity,  which  depends  on  Diversity,  and  cultivates  that  form  of 
Indifference  which  is  associated  with  Unity,  which  depends  on  Unity, 
wherein  longings  for  the  baits  of  the  world  cease  utterly,  without 
leaving  a  trace. 

192.  CREEPER  AND  TREE 

Maj jhima  i.  306-307. 

On  a  certain  occasion  the  Exalted  One  reprobated  the  view  that  there 
is  no  harm  in  the  Pleasures  of  Sense.  Said  he: 

Suppose,  monks,  in  the  last  of  the  hot  months,  the  seed-pod  of  a 
creeper  were  to  burst,  and  a  seed  of  the  creeper  were  to  fall  at  the 


278  Pleasures  of  Sense  [Chap.  XIV. 

roots  of  a  certain  Sal-tree.  And  suppose,  monks,  the  spirit  resident 
in  that  S{\l-tree  were  to  become  frightened,  agitated,  terrified.  And 
suppose,  monks,  the  friends  and  companions,  the  kinsfolk  and 
blood-relatives  of  the  spirit  resident  in  that  Sal-tree, — the  spirits 
of  the  grove,  the  spirits  of  the  forest,  the  spirits  of  the  trees, — 
the  spirits  resident  in  the  plants  and  in  the  grass  and  in  the  trees, 
— were  to  assemble  and  meet  together  and  were  to  comfort  that 
spirit  as  follows:  "Fear  not,  friend!  fear  not,  friend!  Ver}'  likely 
either  a  peacock  will  swallow  this  seed  of  a  creeper,  or  a  deer  will 
eat  it,  or  a  forest-fire  will  burn  it,  or  woodmen  will  pick  it  up,  or 
white  ants  will  carry  it  off,  or  perhaps,  after  all,  it  may  have  no 
germ  of  life  in  it." 

But  suppose,  monks,  neither  a  peacock  were  to  swallow  that  seed 
of  a  creeper,  nor  a  deer  were  to  eat  it,  nor  a  forest-fire  were  to 
burn  it,  nor  woodmen  were  to  pick  it  up,  nor  white  ants  were  to 
carry  it  off,  and  suppose,  after  all,  it  did  have  a  germ  of  life  in  it. 
That  seed,  rained  on  by  a  cloud  of  the  rainy  season,  would  shoot 
up  rapidly ;  it  would  become  a  creeper,  tender,  soft,  hair}',  droop- 
ing; it  would  attach  itself  to  that  Sal-tree. 

And  suppose,  monks,  to  the  spirit  resident  in  that  Sal-tree  were 
to  occur  the  following  thought:  "What  future  peril  did  those 
good  friends  and  companions  of  mine,  those  kinsfolk  and  blood- 
relatives  of  mine, — the  spirits  of  the  grove,  the  spirits  of  the 
forest,  the  spirits  of  the  trees, — the  spirits  resident  in  the  plants 
and  in  the  grass  and  in  the  trees, — what  future  peril  did  they  fore- 
see in  the  seed  of  a  creeper,  that  they  assembled  and  met  together 
and  comforted  me  as  follows :  'Fear  not,  friend !  fear  not,  friend ! 
Very  likely  either  a  peacock  will  swallow  this  seed  of  a  creeper,  or 
a  deer  will  eat  it,  or  a  forest-fire  will  burn  it,  or  woodmen  will  pick 
it  up,  or  white  ants  will  carry  it  off,  or  perhaps,  after  all,  it  may 
have  no  germ  of  life  it  it'?  Pleasant  is  it  to  touch  this  creeper- 
vine, — tender,  soft,  hairy,  drooping!" 

That  creeper  would  encircle  that  Sal-tree ;  having  encircled  that 
Sal-tree,  it  would  fork  above;  having  forked  above,  it  would  exert 
pressure;  having  exerted  pressure,  it  would  crush  every  one  of 
the  mighty  trunks  of  that  Sal-tree. 

And  suppose,  monks,  to  the  spirit  resident  in  that  Siil-tree  were 
to  occur  the  following  thought :  "This  very  future  peril  did  those 
good  friends  and  companions  of  mine,  those  kinsfolk  and  blood- 


Par.  192.]  Creeper  and  Tree  279 

relatives  of  mine, — the  spirits  of  the  grove,  the  spirits  of  the 
forest,  the  spirits  of  the  trees, — the  spirits  resident  in  the  plants 
and  in  the  grass  and  in  the  trees, — this  very  future  peril  did  they 
foresee  in  the  seed  of  a  creeper,  that  they  assembled  and  met 
together  and  comforted  me  as  follows:  'Fear  not,  friend!  fear  not, 
friend!  Very  likely  either  a  peacock  will  swallow  this  seed  of  a 
creeper,  or  a  deer  will  eat  it,  or  a  forest-fire  will  burn  it,  or  wood- 
men will  pick  it  up,  or  white  ants  will  carry  it  off,  or  perhaps, 
after  all,  it  may  have  no  germ  of  life  in  it.'  For  indeed,  because  of 
that  seed  of  a  creeper,  I  am  experiencing  sharp,  bitter  sensations 
of  pain !" 

"Precisely  so,  monks,  there  are  some  monks  and  Brahmans  who  hold 
this  doctrine,  who  hold  this  view:  'There  is  no  harm  in  the  pleasures 
of  sense.'  They  fall  into  the  slough  of  the  pleasures  of  sense ;  they  con- 
sort with  nuns,  with  those  whose  hair  is  bound  in  a  topknot;  they 
speak  thus:  'What  future  peril  do  those  good  monks  and  Brahmans 
foresee  i-n  the  pleasures  of  sense,  that  they  preach  the  renunciation  of 
the  pleasures  of  sense  and  proclaim  thorough  knowledge  of  the  pleas- 
urs  of  sense?  Pleasant  is  it  to  touch  the  tender,  soft,  downy  arm  of 
this  nun !'  They  fall  into  the  slough  of  the  pleasures  of  sense.  Having 
fallen  into  the  slough  of  the  pleasures  of  sense,  upon  dissolution  of 
the  body,  after  death,  they  are  reborn  in  a  state  of  loss,  in  a  state  of 
suffering,  in  a  state  of  punishment,  in  hell.  They  there  experience 
sharp,  bitter  sensations  of  pain.  They  speak  thus:  'This  very  future  peril 
do  those  good  monks  and  Brahmans  foresee  in  the  pleasures  of  sense, 
that  they  preach  the  renunciation  of  the  pleasures  of  sense  and  pro- 
claim thorough  knowledge  of  the  pleasures  of  sense.  For  here  we  are, 
because  of  the  pleasures  of  sense,  on  account  of  the  pleasures  of  sense, 
experiencing  sharp,  bitter  sensations  of  pain !'  " 


CHAPTER  XV 

PARABLES  FROM  THE  MEDIUM-LENGTH  DISCOURSES 
ON  THE  FRUIT  OF  GOOD  AND  EVIL  DEEDS 

193-197.  FOUR  COURSES  OF  CONDUCT 

Ma  j  jhima  i.  313-31T. 

On  a  certain  occasion  the  Exalted  One  addressed  the  monks  as  follows : 

Four  in  number  are  the  Courses  of  Conduct. 

What  are  the  Four? 

There  is  a  Course  of  Conduct  which  gives  pain  now  and  ripens  in 
pain  hereafter. 

There  is  a  Course  of  Conduct  which  gives  pleasure  now  and  ripens 
in  pain  hereafter. 

There  is  a  Course  of  Conduct  which  gives  pain  now  and  ripens  in 
pleasure  hereafter. 

There  is  a  Course  of  Conduct  which  gives  pleasure  now  and  ripens 
in  pleasure  hereafter. 

Pain  now  and  pain  hereafter. 

Here  in  this  world  many  a  man,  with  pain,  with  grief,  is  a  murderer, 
a  thief,  a  fornicator  and  adulterer,  a  liar,  a  backbiter,  a  calumniator, 
a  trifler,  covetous,  malevolent  of  spirit,  a  holder  of  false  views.  Because 
of  tliis,  he  experiences  pain  and  grief.  Such  a  man,  upon  dissolution  of 
the  body,  after  deatli,  is  reborn  in  a  state  of  loss,  in  a  state  of  suffering, 
in  a  state  of  punishment,  in  hell.  This  is  what  is  meant  by  the  Course 
of  Conduct  which  gives  pain  now  and  ripens  in  pain  hereafter. 

Pleasure  now  and  pain  hereafter. 

Here  in  this  world  many  a  man,  with  pleasure,  with  satisfaction,  is 
a  murderer,  a  thief,  a  fornicator  and  adulterer,  a  liar,  a  backbiter,  a 
calumniator,  a  trifler,  covetous,  malevolent  of  spirit,  a  holder  of  false 
views.  Because  of  this,  he  experiences  pleasure  and  satisfaction.  Such 
a  man,  upon  dissolution  of  the  body,  after  death,  is  reborn  in  a  state  of 
loss,  in  a  state  of  suffering,  in  a  state  of  punishment,  in  liell.  This  is 
what  is  meant  by  the  Course  of  Conduct  which  gives  pleasure  now  and 
ripens  in  pain  hereafter. 


Par.  194.]  Poisoned  Cup  281 

Pain  now  and  pleasure  hereafter. 

Here  in  this  world  many  a  man^  with  pain,  with  grief,  refrains  from 
murder,  theft,  fornication  and  adultery,  lying,  backbiting,  calumny, 
trifling,  covetousness,  malevolence  of  spirit,  and  is  a  holder  of  orthodox 
views.  Because  of  this,  he  experiences  pain  and  grief.  Such  a  man,  upon 
dissolution  of  the  body,  after  death,  is  reborn  in  a  state  of  bliss,  in 
heaven.  This  is  what  is  meant  by  the  Course  of  Conduct  which  gives 
pain  now  and  ripens  in  pleasure  hereafter. 

Pleasure  now  and  pleasure  hereafter. 

Here  in  this  world  many  a  man,  with  pleasure,  with  satisfaction, 
refrains  from  murder,  theft,  fornication  and  adultery,  lying,  back- 
biting, calumny,  trifling,  covetousness,  malevolence  of  spirit,  and  is  a 
holder  of  orthodox  views.  Because  of  this,  he  experiences  pleasure  and 
satisfaction.  Such  a  man,  upon  dissolution  of  the  body,  after  death,  is 
reborn  in  a  state  of  bliss,  in  heaven.  This  is  what  is  meant  by  the 
Course  of  Conduct  which  gives  pleasure  now  and  ripens  in  pleasure 
hereafter. 

These,  monks,  are  the  Four  Courses  of  Conduct. 


193.  POISONED  CALABASH 

It  is  precisely  as  if  there  were  a  bitter  calabash  mingled  with  poison, 
and  a  man  were  to  approach, — desiring  to  live,  not  desiring  to  die, 
— desiring  pleasure,  averse  to  pain, — and  they  were  to  say  to  that 
man :  "Ho,  fellow !  here  is  a  bitter  calabash  mingled  with  poison ! 
if  you  wish,  drink !  But  if  you  drink,  it  will  not  please  you,  either 
with  color  or  with  odor  or  with  flavor.  Moreover,  by  drinking,  you 
will  incur  either  death  or  mortal  pain."  He  would  drink  it  without 
reflecting ;  he  would  not  refuse.  But  when  he  drank  it,  it  would  not 
please  him,  either  with  color  or  with  odor  or  with  flavor.  Moreover, 
by  drinking,  he  would  incur  either  death  or  mortal  pain. 

This,  I  say,  is  a  parable  of  the  First  Course  of  Conduct ;  namely,  the 
Course  of  Conduct  which  gives  pain  now  and  ripens  in  pain  hereafter. 

194.  POISONED  CUP 

It  is  precisely  as  if  there  were  a  cup  of  water,  possessing  color, 
possessing  odor,  possessing  flavor,  and  it  were  mingled  with  poison, 
and  a  man  were  to  approach, — desiring  to  live,  not  desiring  to  die, 
— desiring  pleasure,  averse  to  pain, — and  they  were  to  say  to 


282  Four  Courses  of  Conduct  [Chap.  XV. 

that  man:  "Ho,  fellow!  here  is  a  cup  of  water,  possessmg  color, 
possessing  odor,  possessing  flavor,  and  it  is  mingled  with  poison. 
If  you  wish,  drink!  For  if  you  drink,  it  will  please  you,  both  with 
color  and  with  odor  and  with  flavor.  But  by  drinking,  30U  will 
incur  either  death  or  mortal  pain."  He  would  drink  it  without  re- 
flecting; he  would  not  refuse.  For  when  he  drank  it,  it  would  please 
him,  both  with  color  and  with  odor  and  with  flavor.  But  by  drink- 
ing, he  would  incur  either  death  or  mortal  pain. 

This,  I  say,  is  a  parable  of  the  Second  Course  of  Conduct ;  namely, 
the  Course  of  Conduct  which  gives  pleasure  now  and  ripens  in  pain 
hereafter. 


195.  FOUL-TASTING  MEDICINE 

It  is  precisely  as  if  there  were  some  stale  urine  mingled  with  various 
medicaments,  and  a  man  suffering  from  jaundice  were  to  approach, 
and  they  were  to  sa}'  to  him:  "Ho,  fellow!  here  is  some  stale  urine 
mingled  with  various  medicaments !  if  you  wish,  drink !  For  if  you 
drink,  it  will  not  please  3'ou,  either  with  color  or  with  odor  or  with 
flavor;  but  by  drinking,  you  will  recover  your  health."  He  would 
drink  it  without  reflecting;  he  would  not  refuse.  For  when  he 
drank  it,  it  would  not  please  him,  either  with  color  or  with  odor 
or  witli  flavor ;  but  b}'  drinking,  he  would  recover  his  health. 

This,  I  say,  is  a  jiarable  of  the  Third  Course  of  Conduct;  namely, 
the  Course  of  Conduct  which  gives  pain  now  and  ripens  in  pleasure 
hereafter. 

196.  CURDS  AND  HONEY  AND  GHEE  AND  JAGGERY 

It  is  precisely  as  if  there  were  some  curds  and  honey  and  ghee  and 
jaggery,  mingled  together,  and  a  man  suffering  from  dysentery 
were  to  approach,  and  they  were  to  say  to  him :  "Ho,  fellow !  here 
are  curds  and  honey  and  ghee  and  jaggery,  mingled  together!  if 
you  wish,  drink !  If  you  drink,  it  will  please  you,  both  with  color 
and  with  odor  and  with  flavor.  ^Moreover,  by  drinking,  you  will 
recover  your  health."  He  would  drink  it  without  reflecting;  he 
would  not  refuse.  When  he  drank,  it  would  please  him,  both  with 
color  and  with  odor  and  with  flavor.  Moreover,  by  drinking,  he 
would  recover  his  health. 


Par,  197.]  Sun  of  Righteousness  283 

This,  I  say,  is  a  parable  of  the  Fourth  Course  of  Conduct;  namely, 
the  Course  of  Conduct  which  gives  pleasure  now  and  ripens  in  pleasure 
hereafter. 


197.  EVEN  AS  THE  SUN,  SO  SHINES  RIGHTEOUSNESS 

Just  as  when,  in  the  last  of  the  rainy  months,  in  the  autumn  time, 
the  sun  pierces  the  clouds  and  drives  away  the  thunder-heads, 
and  smites  and  overwhelms  every  mist  of  the  air  and  every  mist 
of  the  darkness,  and  beams  and  gleams  and  shines  out,  so  also  this 
Fourth  Course  of  Conduct,  which  gives  pleasure  now  and  ripens  in 
pleasure  hereafter,  smites  all  the  perverse  contentions  of  uncon- 
verted monks  and  Brahmans,  and  beams  and  gleams  and  shines 
out. 

Thus  spoke  the  Exalted  One.  Delighted  in  heart,  those  monks  ap- 
plauded the  utterances  of  the  Exalted  One. 

198-203.  FIVE  FUTURE  STATES 
Maj jhima  i.  73-77. 

On  a  certain  occasion  the  Exalted  One  addressed  Venerable  Sariputta 
as  follows: 

Five  in  number  are  the  Future  States. 

What  are  the  Five  ? 

Hell,  the  Animal  Kingdom,  the  Region  of  the  Fathers,  the  World 
of  ]\Ien,  the  Worlds  of  the  Gods. 

Hell  I  know,  and  the  road  which  leads  to  hell,  and  the  path  which 
leads  to  hell,  and  the  path  which  if  a  man  enter  upon,  he  is  reborn, 
upon  dissolution  of  the  body,  after  death,  in  a  state  of  loss,  in  a  state 
of  suffering,  in  a  state  of  punishment,  in  hell, — that  too  I  know. 

The  animal  kingdom  I  know,  and  the  road  which  leads  to  the  animal 
kingdom,  and  the  path  which  leads  to  the  animal  kingdom,  and  the 
path  which  if  a  man  enter  upon,  he  is  reborn,  upon  dissolution  of  the 
body,  after  death,  in  the  animal  kingdom, — that  too  I  know. 

The  region  of  the  fathers  I  know,  and  the  road  which  leads  to  the 
region  of  the  fathers,  and  the  path  which  leads  to  the  region  of  the 
fathers,  and  the  path  which  if  a  man  enter  upon,  he  is  reborn,  upon 
dissolution  of  the  body,  after  death,  in  the  region  of  the  fathers, — that 
too  I  know. 

The  world  of  men  I  know,  and  also  the  road  which  leads  to  the 
world  of  men,  and  the  path  which  leads  to  the  world  of  men,  and  the 
path  which  if  a  man  enter  upon,  he  is  reborn,  upon  dissolution  of  the 
bod}',  after  death,  in  the  world  of  men, — that  too  I  know. 


284  Five  Future  States  [Chap.  XV. 

The  worlds  of  the  gods  I  know,  and  the  road  which  leads  to  the 
worlds  of  the  gods,  and  the  path  which  leads  to  the  worlds  of  the  gods, 
and  the  path  which  if  a  man  enter  upon,  he  is  reborn,  upon  dissolution 
of  the  body,  after  death,  in  a  state  of  bliss,  in  a  heavenly  world, — 
that  too  I  know. 

Nibbana  too  I  know,  and  the  road  which  leads  to  Nibbana,  and  the 
path  which  leads  to  Nibbana,  and  the  path  which  if  a  man  enter  upon, 
he  dwells,  through  destruction  of  the  Contaminations,  even  in  this 
present  world,  having  himself  comprehended,  realized,  entered  upon, 
freedom  from  the  Contaminations,  deliverance  of  the  mind,  deliverance 
of  the  understanding, — that  too  I  know. 

Hell. 

Here  in  this  world,  I,  embracing  mind  with  mind,  with  reference  to 
many  a  man,  perceive  as  follows:  Such  a  path  has  this  man  entered 
upon,  and  so  does  he  walk,  and  such  a  road  has  he  taken,  that  upon  dis- 
solution of  the  body,  after  death,  he  will  be  reborn  in  a  state  of  loss, 
in  a  state  of  suffering,  in  a  state  of  punishment,  in  hell.  And  that  very 
man  I  behold,  after  a  time,  with  the  Heavenly  Eye,  purified,  transcend- 
ing that  of  man,  upon  dissolution  of  the  body,  after  death,  reborn  in  a 
state  of  loss,  in  a  state  of  suffering,  in  a  state  of  punishment,  in  hell, 
experiencing  sharp,  bitter  sensations  of  utter  pain. 


198.  PIT  OF  RED-HOT  COALS 

It  is  precisely  as  if  there  were  a  pit  of  red-hot  coals,  in  depth  ex- 
ceeding a  man's  height,  full  of  red-hot  coals,  free  from  flames,  free 
from  smoke ;  and  as  if  a  man  were  to  approach,  overheated  by  the 
heat,  overcome  by  the  heat,  weary,  trembling,  thirsty,  and  were  to 
make  a  straight  course  for  that  very  pit  of  red-hot  coals ;  and  as 
if  a  man  with  eyes  were  to  see  that  man  and  were  to  say :  "Such 
a  path  has  this  good  man  entered  upon,  and  so  does  he  walk,  and 
such  a  road  has  he  taken,  that  he  will  find  himself  in  that  very  pit 
of  red-hot  coals ;"  and  as  if  he  were  to  behold  that  very  man,  after 
a  time,  fallen  into  that  pit  of  red-hot  coals,  experiencing  sharp, 
bitter  sensations  of  utter  pain. 

Precisely  so  I,  here  in  this  world,  embracing  mind  with  mind,  with 
reference  to  many  a  man,  perceive  as  follows:  Such  a  path  has  this 
man  entered  upon,  and  so  does  he  walk,  and  such  a  road  has  he  taken, 
that  upon  dissolution  of  the  body,  after  death,  he  will  be  reborn  in 
a  state  of  loss,  in  a  state  of  suffering,  in  a  state  of  punishment,  in  hell. 
And  that  very  man  I  behold,  after  a  time,  with  the  Heavenly  Eye, 
purified,  transcending  that  of  man,  upon  dissolution  of  the  body,  after 


Par.  200.]  Tree  with  Scanty  Shade  285 

death,  reborn  in  a  state  of  loss,  in  a  state  of  suffering,  in  a  state -of 
punishment,  in  hell,  experiencing  sharp,  bitter  sensations  of  utter  pain. 

Animal  kingdom. 

Here  in  this  world,  moreover,  I  .  .  .  perceive  as  follows:  Such  a 
path  has  this  man  entered  upon  .  .  .  that  ...  he  will  be  reborn  in 
the  animal  kingdom.  And  that  very  man  I  behold  .  .  .  reborn  in  the 
animal  kingdom,  experiencing  sharp,  bitter  sensations  of  pain. 


199.  DUNG-PIT 

It  is  precisely  as  if  there  were  a  dung-pit,  in  depth  exceeding  a 
man's  height,  full  of  dung;  and  as  if  a  man  were  to  approach, 
overheated  by  the  heat,  overcome  by  the  heat,  weary,  trembling, 
thirsty,  and  were  to  make  a  straight  course  for  that  very  dung- 
pit;  and  as  if  a  man  with  eyes  were  to  see  that  man  and  were  to 
say:  "Such  a  path  has  this  good  man  entered  upon,  and  so  does 
he  walk,  and  such  a  road  has  he  taken,  that  he  will  find  himself 
in  that  very  dung-pit ;"  and  as  if  he  were  to  behold  that  very  man, 
after  a  time,  fallen  into  that  dung-pit,  experiencing  sharp,  bitter 
sensations  of  pain. 

Precisely  so  I  .   .   .  perceive  .    .    .  and  behold  .    .   . 

Region  of  the  fathers. 

Here  in  this  world,  moreover,  I  .  .  .  perceive  as  follows:  Such  a 
path  has  this  man  entered  upon  .  .  .  that  ...  he  will  be  reborn  in 
the  region  of  the  fathers.  And  that  very  man  I  behold  .  .  .  reborn  in 
the  region  of  the  fathers,  experiencing  sensations  abounding  in  pain. 


200.  TREE  WITH  SCANTY  SHADE 

It  is  precisely  as  if,  on  a  piece  of  poor  soil,  there  grew  a  tree  with 
sparse  leaves  and  foliage,  with  scanty  shade ;  and  as  if  a  man  were 
to  approach,  overheated  by  the  heat,  overcome  by  the  heat,  weary, 
trembling,  thirsty,  and  were  to  make  a  straight  course  for  that 
very  tree ;  and  as  if  a  man  with  eyes  were  to  see  that  man  and  were 
to  say :  "Such  a  path  has  this  good  man  entered  upon,  and  so  does 
he  walk,  and  such  a  road  has  he  taken,  that  he  will  come  to  that 
very  tree ;"  and  as  if  he  were  to  behold  that  very  man,  after  a  time, 


286  Five  Future  States  [Chap.  XV. 

sitting  or  lying  in  the  shade  of  that  tree,  experiencing  sensations 
abounding  in  pain. 

Precisely  so  I   .    .    .  perceive  .    .    .  and  behold  .    .    . 

World  of  men. 

Here  in  this  world,  moreover^  I  .  .  .  perceive  as  follows:  Such  a 
path  has  this  man  entered  upon  .  .  .  that  ...  he  will  be  reborn  in 
the  world  of  men.  And  that  very  man  I  behold  .  .  .  reborn  in  the 
world  of  men,  experiencing  sensations  abounding  in  pleasure. 


201.  TREE  WITH  AMPLE  SHADE 

It  is  precisely  as  if,  on  a  piece  of  good  soil,  there  grew  a  tree  with 
thick  leaves  and  foliage,  with  ample  shade ;  and  as  if  a  man  were 
to  approach,  overheated  by  the  heat,  overcome  by  the  heat,  weary, 
trembling,  thirsty,  and  were  to  make  a  straight  course  for  that 
very  tree ;  and  as  if  a  man  with  eyes  were  to  see  that  man  and  were 
to  say :  "Such  a  path  has  this  good  man  entered  upon,  and  so  does 
he  walk,  and  such  a  road  has  he  taken,  that  he  will  come  to  that 
very  tree;"  and  as  if  he  were  to  behold  that  very  man,  after  a  time, 
sitting  or  lying  in  the  shade  of  that  tree,  experiencing  sensations 
abounding  in  pleasure. 

Precisely  so  I   .    .    .  perceive  .    .    .  and  behold  .    .    . 

Worlds  of  the  Gods. 

Here  in  this  world,  moreover,  I  .  .  .  perceive  as  follows :  Such  a 
path  has  this  man  entered  upon  .  .  .  that  ...  he  will  be  reborn  in 
a  state  of  bliss,  in  a  heavenly  world.  And  that  very  man  I  behold  .  .  . 
reborn  in  a  state  of  bliss,  in  a  heavenly  world,  experiencing  sensations 
of  perfect  happiness. 


202.  PALACE 

It  is  precisely  as  if  there  were  a  palace,  and  in  the  palace  there 
were  a  pavilion  with  bell-shaped  pinnacle,  plastered  witliin  and 
without,  sheltered  from  the  wind,  the  door-bolts  driven  home,  the 
windows  closed,  and  in  the  pavilion  there  were  a  coucli  spread  with 
coverlets,  some  with  long  fleeces,  some  pure  wliite,  some  woven 
thickly  with  flowers,  with  coverings  of  the  choicest  antelope-skins, 


Par.  203.]  Lotus-pond  287 

with  a  canopy  overhead,  with  red  cushions  at  both  ends ;  and  as  if 
a  man  were  to  approach,  overheated  by  the  heat,  overcome  by  the 
heat,  weary,  trembling,  thirsty,  and  were  to  make  a  straight  course 
for  that  very  palace;  and  as  if  a  man  with  eyes  were  to  see  that 
man  and  were  to  say:  "Such  a  path  has  this  good  man  entered 
upon,  and  so  does  he  walk,  and  such  a  road  has  he  taken,  that  he 
will  come  to  that  very  palace;"  and  as  if  he  were  to  behold  that 
very  man,  after  a  time,  in  that  palace,  in  that  pavilion,  sitting  or 
lying  on  that  couch,  experiencing  sensations  of  perfect  happiness. 

Precisely  so  I   .    .    .  perceive  .    .    .  and  behold  .    .    . 

Nibbdna. 

Here  in  this  world,  I,  embracing  mind  with  mind,  with  reference  to 
many  a  man,  perceive  as  follows:  Such  a  path  has  this  man  entered 
upon,  and  so  does  he  walk,  and  such  a  road  has  he  taken,  that  he  will 
dwell,  through  destruction  of  the  Contaminations,  even  in  this  present 
world,  having  himself  comprehended,  realized,  entered  upon,  freedom 
from  the  Contaminations,  deliverance  of  the  mind,  deliverance  of  the 
understanding.  And  that  very  man  I  behold,  after  a  time,  dwelling, 
through  destruction  of  the  Contaminations,  even  in  this  present  world, 
having  himself  comprehended,  realized,  entered  upon,  freedom  from 
the  Contaminations,  deliverance  of  the  mind,  deliverance  of  the  under- 
standing,— experiencing  sensations  of  perfect  happiness. 


203.  LOTUS-POND 

It  is  precisely  as  if  there  were  a  lotus-pond,  with  clear  water,  with 
pleasant  water,  with  cool  water,  transparent,  easy  of  access,  full 
of  charm, — and  not  far  off  there  were  a  deep  forest-grove;  and 
as  if  a  man  were  to  approach,  overheated  by  the  heat,  overcome  by 
the  heat,  weary,  trembling,  thirsty,  and  were  to  make  a  straight 
course  for  that  very  lotus-pond ;  and  as  if  a  man  with  eyes  were  to 
see  that  man  and  were  to  say:  "Such  a  path  has  this  good  man 
entered  upon,  and  so  does  he  walk,  and  such  a  road  has  he  taken, 
that  he  will  come  to  that  very  lotus-pond ;"  and  as  if  he  were  to 
behold  that  very  man,  after  a  time,  after  plunging  into  that  lotus- 
pond,  after  bathing  and  drinking,  having  quieted,  having  over- 
come, all  oppression  and  weariness  and  burning,  sitting  or  lying  in 
that  forest-grove,  experiencing  sensations  of  perfect  happiness. 


288  Five  Future  States  [Chap.  XV. 

Precisely  so  I,  here  in  this  worlds  embracing  mind  with  mind,  with 
reference  to  many  a  man,  perceive  as  follows:  Such  a  path  has  this 
man  entered  upon,  and  so  does  he  walk,  and  such  a  road  has  he  taken, 
that  he  will  dwell,  through  destruction  of  the  Contaminations,  even  in 
this  present  worlds  having  himself  comprehended,  realized,  entered 
upon,  freedom  from  the  Contaminations,  deliverance  of  the  mind,  de- 
liverance of  the  understanding.  And  that  very  man  I  behold,  after  a 
time,  dwelling,  through  destruction  of  the  Contaminations,  even  in  this 
present  world,  having  himself  comprehended,  realized,  entered  upon, 
freedom  from  the  Contaminations,  deliverance  of  the  mind,  deliverance 
of  the  understanding, — experiencing  sensations  of  perfect  happiness. 

These,  verily,  are  the  Five  Future  States. 


CHAPTER  XVI 

PARABLES  OF  THE  SACRED  HEART  OF  BUDDHA 
""Thou  alone,  0  my  Heart,  art  called  to  he  the  Saviour  of  All!" 

A.  ON  THE  TREASURY  OF  MERITS  OF  BUDDHA 
"Thou  art  a  Treasury  of  Merits!" 

204.  ON  THE  PERFECTING  OF  THE  PERFECTIONS 

''Mine  eyes  have  I  torn  out!  My  heart's  flesh  have  I  uprooted!" 
Extract  from  Dhammapada  Commentary  i.  1. 

On  a  certain  occasion,  we  are  told,  a  rich  merchant  of  Savatthi 
named  Anathapindika  entertained  the  Buddha.  But  because 
Anatliapindika  remembered  that  the  Buddha  was  of  royal  descent, 
and  had  been  reared  amid  wealth  and  luxury,  it  occurred  to  him 
that  his  guest  might  grow  weary  were  he  to  ask  him  to  preach  the 
Doctrine.  Therefore  he  refrained  from  asking  him  any  questions. 
But  so  soon  as  Anathapindika  took  his  seat,  says  the  legend, 
the  Buddha  read  his  thoughts,  and  reflected :  "This  merchant  pro- 
tects me  where  I  have  no  need  to  be  protected.  For  I  spent  four 
periods  of  time  of  incalculable  length,  and  a  hundred  thousand 
cycles  of  time  in  addition,  perfecting  the  Perfections.  My  own 
gloriously  adorned  head  have  I  cut  off!  Mine  eyes  have  I  torn  out ! 
My  heart's  flesh  have  I  uprooted !  Both  son  and  wife,  dear  to  me 
as  life,  have  I  renounced ! — And  all  this  I  did  that  I  might  preach 
the  Doctrine  to  others.  This  merchant  protects  me  where  I  have 
no  need  to  be  protected."  And  straightway  be  preached  the  Doc- 
trine. 

205.  ON  THE  ATTAINMENT  OF  ENLIGHTENMENT 

"Blessed  indeed  is  that  mother,  whose  son  is  such  a  one  as  he!" 
Extract  from  Dhammapada  Commentary  i.  8  a. 

In  one  of  his  previous  states  of  existence,  at  a  time  in  the  past  so 
unimaginably  remote  that  only  the  merest  suggestion  of  its  re- 


290  ''Blessed  Indeed  Is  That  Mother!"       [Chap.  XVI. 

moteness  is  convcj-ed  by  the  statement  that  it  was  four  periods  of 
time  of  incalculable  length  and  a  hundred  thousand  cycles  of  time 
in  addition  in  the  past,  the  future  Buddha  performed  a  work  of 
merit  and  formed  the  High  Resolve  thereby  to  attain  Enlighten- 
ment, to  become  a  Buddha.  After  he  had  fulfilled  the  Ten  Per- 
fections and  the  Ten  Minor  Perfections  and  the  Ten  Major  Per- 
fections, making  in  all  Thirty  Perfections,  he  was  reborn  as 
Vessantara.  In  his  existence  as  Vessantara  he  bestowed  alms  so 
generously  that  the  earth  trembled  and  quaked,  and  in  that  exist- 
ence also  he  renounced  both  wife  and  children.  When  the  term  of 
life  allotted  to  him  was  come  to  an  end,  he  was  reborn  in  heaven ; 
and  when  he  had  remained  in  this  state  of  existence  during  the 
term  of  life  allotted  to  him,  the  deities  of  the  Ten  Thousand  Worlds 
assembled  together  and  thus  addressed  him: 

The  time  is  at  hand,  valiant  hero;  descend  into  the  womb  of  your 
mother ; 

Deliver  the  worlds  of  men  and  gods;  reveal  the  Region  of  the  Death- 
less. 

Thereupon  he  made  the  Five  Great  Observations,  and  passing 
from  that  state  of  existence,  received  a  new  existence  in  the  royal 
household  of  the  Sakiyas,  as  the  son  of  King  Suddhodana  and 
Queen  Mahil  Maya.  In  this  royal  household  he  was  brought  up  amid 
wealth  and  splendor,  and  in  the  course  of  time  attained  auspicious 
youth.  He  spent  his  youth  in  three  mansions  appropriate  to  the 
three  seasons  of  the  year,  enjoying  splendor  and  majesty  of 
sovereignty  comparable  to  the  splendor  of  the  World  of  the  Gods. 
In  the  course  of  time  it  came  to  pass  that,  as  he  proceeded  on  four 
successive  days  to  the  garden  to  disport  himself,  he  beheld  the  Four 
Heavenly  Messengers :  an  Old  Man,  a  Sick  Man,  a  Corpse,  and  a 
Monk.  Thereupon  he  resolved  to  become  a  monk.  In  the  evening, 
as  he  entered  the  city,  his  cousin  Kisa  Gotam!  thus  saluted  him : 

Blessed  indeed  is  that  mother,  blessed  indeed  is  that  father, 
Blessed  indeed  is  that  wife_,  whose  husband  is  such  a  one  as  he ! 

Renouncing  son  and  wife,  he  adopted  the  Religious  Life,  and 
for  six  years  engaged  in  prolonged  fasts  and  other  austerities, 
hoping  thereby  to  win  mastery  over  self  and  attain  Supreme  En- 
lightenment. While  thus  engaged,  he  was  tempted  by  the  Evil  One. 
But  the  future  Buddha  rebuked  the  Evil  One,  and  he  departed  for 


Par.  206.]  Abatement  of  Plagues  291 

a  season.  At  the  end  of  this  period  of  austerities,  called  the  Great 
Struggle,  he  seated  himself  cross-legged  in  Mahfivana  Grove,  and 
spent  the  day  in  the  various  degrees  of  Ecstatic  Meditation.  In 
the  evening  he  ascended  the  Throne  of  Enlightenment  and  formed 
the  following  resolution :  "I  will  not  abandon  this  posture  until  I 
have  ceased  utterly  to  crave  the  things  of  this  world,  and  my  heart 
is  rid  of  the  Depravities." 

Thereupon  he  seated  himself  under  a  banyan-tree,  facing  the 
east,  and  before  the  sun  had  set,  overcame  the  host  of  the  Evil  One. 
In  the  first  watch  he  beheld  the  entire  course  of  his  past  lives.  In 
the  second  watch  he  beheld  the  fate  after  death  of  all  living 
beings.  At  the  conclusion  of  the  third  and  last  watch,  he  came  to 
understand  that  the  cause  of  human  suffering  is  Craving  for 
worldly  pleasures  and  life  and  riches ;  that  if  this  Craving  be  up- 
rooted, rebirth  and  suffering  will  come  to  an  end ;  that  this 
Craving  can  be  uprooted  by  right  belief,  right  living,  and  the  prac- 
tice of  meditation.  And  thus  he  became  Buddha,  tJie  Awakened, 
the  Enlightened.  Thereupon  he  breathed  forth  the  Song  of 
Triumph  of  All  the  Buddhas  : 

CRAVING,   BUILDER  OF   THE   HOUSE  OF   REPEATED   EXISTENCES 

Through  a  round  of  countless  existences  have  I  run  to  no  purpose, 
Seeking  the  Builder  of  the  House.  Repeated  existences  involve  suffer- 
ing. 

I  see  thee^  Builder  of  the  House !  Thou  shalt  not  build  the  House  again ! 

Broken  are  all  thy  rafters !  Shattered  is  thy  ridge-pole ! 

The  heart,  at  rest  in  Nibbana,  has  attained  Extinction  of  Cravings. 


206.  ABATEMENT  OF  PLAGUES  AT  VESALI 

"If  he  but  come  hither,  these  plagues  mill  subside." 
Extract  from  Dhammapada  Commentary  xxi.  1. 

Once  upon  a  time  the  city  of  Vesali  was  a  city  of  splendor  and 
magnificence  and  great  wealth ;  numerous  were  the  folk  that  dwelt 
therein,  and  the  streets  thereof  were  thronged  with  inhabitants ; 
therein  resided  seven  thousand  and  seven  hundred  and  seven  War- 
rior princes,  who  reigned  b}"  turns.  For  each  of  the  seven  thousand 
and   seven  hundred   and   seven  princes  was  provided  a  separate 


292  "//  He  But  Come  Hither !"  [Chap.  XVI. 

place  of  residence ;  equal  in  number  were  the  palaces  and  pagodas ; 
equal  in  number  were  the  parks  and  pools,  that  each  might  take 
his  pleasure  out  of  doors.  But  after  a  time  the  food-supply  gave 
out  and  the  crops  failed  and  a  famine  ensued.  Thus  arose  plagues 
three  in  number :  the  plague  of  famine,  the  plague  of  evil  spirits, 
and  the  plague  of  disease. 

Then  the  inhabitants  of  the  city  assembled  and  met  together  and 
said  to  the  king :  "One  that  is  Supremely  Enlightened,  a  Buddha, 
has  arisen  in  the  world,  for  he,  the  Exalted  One,  preaches  a  Doc- 
trine that  avails  to  the  weal  and  welfare  and  happiness  of  all  living 
beings.  Moreover,  he  possesses  great  magical  power  and  great 
supernatural  power.  If  he  but  come  hither,  these  plagues  will  in- 
stantly subside."  Accordingly  they  approached  the  Exalted  One, 
did  reverence  to  him,  and  spoke  thus :  "Reverend  Sir,  three  plagues 
have  arisen  at  Vesali.  If  you  but  go  thither,  they  will  subside. 
Come,  Reverend  Sir,  let  us  go  thither."  The  Exalted  One  acceded 
to  their  request. 

At  eventide  the  Buddha  took  his  stand  at  the  gate  of  the  city 
of  Vesali  and  spoke  thus  to  the  Beloved  Disciple  Ananda: 
"Ananda,  receive  from  me  this  Sutta  of  the  Three  Jewels  [Buddha, 
Doctrine,  Order  of  Monks],  and  recite  it  as  a  charm  within  the 
three  walls  of  the  city  of  A'esali,  making  the  rounds  thereof  with 
the  Licchavi  princes."  Elder  Anada  received  the  Sutta  of  the 
Three  Jewels  from  the  lips  of  the  Buddha,  took  holy  water  in  the 
Buddha's  stone  boAvl,  and  went  and  took  his  stand  at  the  gate  of 
the  city. 

And  standing  at  the  gate  of  the  city,  Ananda  meditated  on  all 
the  Merits  of  the  Buddha,  beginning  with  his  High  Resolve ;  con- 
sidering in  turn  the  Ten  Perfections  of  the  Tathagata,  the  Ten 
Minor  Perfections,  and  the  Ten  Major  Perfections;  the  Five 
Great  Sacrifices;  the  Three  Meritorious  Acts:  in  behalf  of  the 
world,  in  behalf  of  his  kinsmen,  and  for  the  sake  of  Enlightenment ; 
his  Descent  into  the  Womb  in  the  last  state  of  his  existence;  his 
Birth  of  Queen  Maya;  the  Great  Retirement  from  tbc  World;  the 
Great  Struggle,  the  Conquest  of  INIara  the  Evil  One  on  the  Throne 
of  Enlightenment  under  the  Bo-tree,  the  Attainment  of  Omnis- 
cience, and  the  Nine  Ti'ansccndent  Conditions. 

And  when  he  had  so  done,  lie  entci'ed  the  city,  and  during  the 


Par.  207.]  Compassionate  King  293 

three  watches  of  the  night  went  about  within  the  walls  thereof 
reciting  the  Sutta  of  the  Three  Jewels  as  a  charm. 

1.  Ye  spirits  that  are  in  this  place  assembled, 

Whether  in  earth  ye  dwell,  or  'twixt  the  earth  and  heaven, 
Show  each  and  all  a  kindly  disposition. 
And  then  attentive  hark  to  what  is  uttered ! 

2.  Therefore,  O  spirits,  be  ye  all  attentive. 
With  friendliness  suffuse  all  human  beings. 

Who  day  and  night  bring  unto  you  their  offerings: 
Therefore  do  ye  with  heedfulness  protect  them. 

3.  Of  all  the  wealth  in  this  world  or  the  next  world. 
Of  all  the  precious  jewels  in  the  heavens. 

The  like  of  the  Tathagata  exists  not, 
This  is  the  Precious  Jewel  of  the  Buddha: 
If  this  be  true,  then  let  there  be  Salvation! 

The  moment  he  uttered  the  words  Of  all  the  wealth  in  this  world 
or  the  next  world,  and  threw  the  water  upwards,  it  fell  upon  the 
evil  spirits.  From  the  third  stanza  on,  drops  of  water  resembling 
tiny  balls  of  silver  rose  into  the  air  and  fell  upon  the  sick  men. 
Straightway  the  sickness  of  those  men  was  cured,  and  rising  to 
their  feet  in  all  quarters,  they  surrounded  the  Elder.  And  the  evil 
spirits,  with  one  accord,  departed  from  the  city  and  returned  no 
more. 


207.  THE  KING  WHO  TOOK  UPON  HIMSELF  THE  SINS 
AND  SUFFERINGS  OF  HIS  PEOPLE 

"//  there  he  any  that  hunger,  it  is  I  that  have  made  them  hungry.^' 
From  E.  Chavannes,  Cinq  Cents  Contes  No.  15. 

ON    THE   PERFECTION    OF   GENEROSITY 

When  we  speak  of  the  Perfection  of  Generosity,  what  do  we  mean? 

To  surround  men  and  animals  with  benevolent  care;  to  have 
compassion  on  the  multitude  of  tJwse  that  are  in  error;  to  rejoice 
that  wise  men  have  succeeded  in  obtaining  Salvation;  to  protect 
and  succor  all  living  beings;  overpassing  the  heavens  and  over- 
stepping the  earth,  to  cherish  benevolence  wide  as  a  river  or  as 
the  sea,  and  to  exhibit  liberality  to  all  living  beings;  to  feed  those 


294  "/  Have  Made  Them  Hungry T  [Chap.  XVI. 

that  are  hungry;  to  relieve  those  that  are  thirsty;  to  clothe  those 
that  are  cold;  to  refresh  those  that  suffer  with  heat;  to  offer 
prompt  assistance  with  medicines;  when  it  is  a  matter  of  chariots, 
horses,  boats,  vehicles,  precious  substances  of  all  kinds,  including 
famous  jewels,  husbands  and  wives,  children,  or  kingdom, — what- 
ever it  may  be  that  is  asked  for, — to  make  gift  thereof  imme- 
diately,— even  as  did  the  croxvn-prince  Suddna,  who  exhibited  his 
liberality  towards  the  poor  even  as  a  father  nourishes  his  children, 
and  who,  when  he  was  banished  by  the  king  his  father,  entertained 
pity,  but  not  hatred. 

King  Kindly-and-Silent . 

Thus  have  I  heard:  Once  upon  a  time  the  Buddha  was  keeping 
residence  in  the  kingdom  of  Shravasti,  at  the  Jetavana  monastery,  in 
Anathapindada's  Grove.  The  Buddha  said  to  the  monks : 

Once  upon  a  time  there  was  a  king  named  Kindly-and-Silent.  This 
king  conducted  himself  with  goodness  and  fairness.  He  loved  the 
people  as  if  they  had  been  his  children.  In  governing  his  kingdom, 
he  applied  just  laws,  and  there  was  no  one  among  his  people  who 
entertained  hatred  for  him.  His  kingdom  was  a  large  one,  and 
every  one  that  was  therein  was  occupied  with  his  own  business. 

This  king  always  cherished  sentiments  of  benevolence,  and 
looked  with  compassion  on  the  multitude  of  living  beings.  He  was 
afflicted  by  their  stupidity  and  by  their  errors,  through  which, 
in  their  folly,  they  brought  only  loss  upon  themselves.  He  sought 
after  and  maintained  principles  of  wisdom,  and  it  was  his  delight 
not  to  be  ignorant  of  anything.  He  had  pity  on  all  living  beings, 
and  protected  them  as  does  Shakra,  king  of  the  deities. 

Murder,  theft,  lewdness,  deceit,  slander,  falsehood,  words  of 
double  meaning,  jealousy,  anger, — none  of  all  these  evil  things 
had  left  any  trace  in  his  heart.  He  exhibited  filial  piety  and 
obedience  to  his  father  and  mother;  he  respected  and  loved  his 
relatives  within  nine  degrees  of  kindred.  He  sought  out  the  wise 
men  and  honored  the  holy  men.  He  believed  in  the  Buddha,  he  be- 
lieved in  the  Law,  lie  believed  in  the  words  of  the  monks.  He  be- 
lieved that  good  deeds  are  rewarded  with  happiness,  and  that  evil 
deeds  are  punished  with  misfortune.  He  kept  the  plain  rules  of  the 
Ten  Good  Courses  of  Conduct : 


Par.  207.]  Compassionate  King  295 

Ten  Commandments  of  the  Buddha. 
1.   Thou  slialt  not  take  the  life  of  any  living  being. 


Sinful 
Acts 


Sinful 
Words 


Sinful 
Thoughts 


2.  Thou  shalt  not  take  that  which  is  not  given. 

3.  Thou  shalt  not  give  way  to  the  sins  of  the  flesh. 

4.  Thou  shalt  not  speak  falsehood. 

5.  Thou  shalt  not  speak  harshly. 

6.  Thou  shalt  not  utter  slander. 

7.  Thou  shalt  not  speak  idle  words. 

8.  Thou  shalt  not  covet. 

9.  Thou  shalt  not  wish  evil  to  another, 
10.  Thou  shalt  not  entertain  false  doctrine. 


Another  List  of  Ten. 
1-4.  As  above. 
5.   Thou  shalt  avoid  occasions  of  heedlessness  through  the  use  of 
liquor  or  spirits  or  other  intoxicants. 
6-10.   Rules  for  persons  vowed  to  the  religious  life. 

King  Kindly-and-SHent  and  the  thief. 

It  so  happened  that  in  his  kingdom  there  was  a  poor  man  in 
such  a  state  of  misery  that  he  could  endure  it  no  longer.  Being  at 
the  end  of  his  resources,  he  committed  a  theft.  The  owner  of  the 
stolen  goods  arrested  him  and  arraigned  him  before  the  king. 

The  king  asked  him:  "Did  you  steal .?" 

The  thief  replied  that  he  had  indeed  stolen. 

"Why,"  returned  the  king,  "did  you  steal.?" 

The  thief  replied :  "I  was  actually  in  terrible  misery,  and  had  no 
means  of  living;  that  is  why,  breaking  your  laws,  so  holy  and 
plain,  I  walked  into  the  fire  and  committed  a  theft." 

The  king,  penetrated  with  compassion,  praised  him  for  his  frank 
sincerity,  and  quite  embarrassed,  felt  ashamed  of  himself.  Heaving 
a  deep  sigh,  he  said:  "If  there  are  among  my  people  those  that 
suffer  from  hunger,  it  is  I  that  have  made  them  hungry.  If  there 
are  among  my  people  those  that  suffer  from  cold,  it  is  I  that  have 
stripped  them  of  their  garments."  Then  he  added :  "I  am  so  situ- 
ated that  I  can  bring  it  about  that  no  one  in  my  kingdom  shall  be 
in  misery.  On  me  alone  depend  the  sufferings  and  the  enjoyments 
of  the  people." 

Accordingl}"  he  granted  a  general  amnesty  to  his  kingdom.  He 
brought  forth  all  the  precious  objects  which  he  had  in  his  store- 


296  '7  Have  Made  Them  Hungry!"         [Chap.  XVI. 

houses  and  dispensed  them  in  largesses.  Those  who  were  worn  out 
with  hunger  and  thirst,  he  made  to  eat  and  drink.  Those  who  were 
cold,  he  clad.  Those  who  were  sick,  he  provided  with  medicines. 
Fields,  gardens,  dwellings,  gold,  silver,  round  pearls  and  irregular 
pearls, — of  all  these,  each  person  obtained  as  much  as  he  asked 
for.  From  the  birds  that  fly  and  the  animals  that  walk,  to  the  in- 
sects, all  obtained  all  that  they  wanted,  in  the  matter  of  the  five 
kinds  of  cereals  and  products  of  the  soil. 

From  the  moment  when  the  king  dispensed  these  largesses,  the 
kingdom  was  prosperous  and  the  people  lived  in  comfort.  One  per- 
son drew  another  towards  wisdom.  Among  the  people,  no  one  killed 
any  more,  nor  stole  the  goods  of  another,  nor  sinned  with  the  wife 
of  another,  nor  was  a  cheat  or  a  slanderer  or  a  liar  or  insincere  in 
his  talk  or  jealous  or  angry:  all  these  wicked  and  mean  impulses 
subsided  and  disappeared.  All  men  believed  in  the  Buddha,  believed 
in  the  Law,  believed  in  the  monks ;  they  believed  that  whoever  does 
good  deeds  obtains  happiness,  that  whoever  practices  evil  incurs 
misfortune.  The  whole  kingdom  was  peaceful  and  happy ;  the  pun- 
ishments of  the  lash  and  the  stick  were  no  more  administered.  The 
enemy  kingdoms  made  their  submission;  the  arms  of  war  rotted 
in  the  magazines;  in  the  prisons  no  more  were  prisoners  put  in 
chains.  The  people  praised  this  happy  state  of  things,  and  said: 
"What  happiness,  that  we  were  permitted  to  live  at  such  a  time !" 

The  deities,  the  dragons,  the  demons,  and  the  spirits, — all, 
without  exception,  contributed  to  the  rejoicing,  and  accorded  their 
favors  and  their  protection  to  this  kingdom.  Baneful  influences 
disappeared;  the  five  cereals  ripened  in  abundance;  households 
possessed  them  in  abundance.  But  more  particularly  the  king  re- 
joiced; at  that  time  he  obtained  the  Five  Blessings.  These  are  the 
Five  Blessings:  (1)  to  live  long;  (2)  to  possess  comeliness  that 
grows  each  day:  (3)  to  possess  virtue  which  shakes  the  eight 
directions,  the  zenith  and  the  nadir;  (4)  to  have  no  sickness,  and 
to  have  energy  which  increases  each  day;  (5)  to  possess  a  king- 
dom whose  four  regions  are  at  peace,  and  to  have  a  heart  that 
rejoices  without  ceasing. 

When,  finally,  the  king  died,  he  was  at  that  moment  like  a  man 
in  full  vigor,  who  cats  heartily  and  delights  to  sleep.  Immediately 
he  was  reborn  in  heaven  among  the  gods  of  the  Thirty-three.  As 
for  the  people  of  this  kingdom,  they  kept  the  Ten  Commandments 


Par.  208.]  Boar  and  Lion  297 

which  the  king  had  given  to  them,  and  there  was  none  of  them  that 
went  to  be  reborn  in  the  form  of  a  denizen  of  hell,  a  hungry  ghost, 
or  an  animal :  after  their  death,  they  were  all  reborn  in  heaven 
among  the  deities. 

The  Buddha  said  to  the  monks:  "At  that  time,  he  that  was  King 
Kindly-and-Silent  was  I  myself." 

Having  heard  this  religious  instruction,  the  monks  rejoiced  above 
measure ;  they  bowed  to  the  Buddha  and  then  withdrew. 

B.  ON  THE  SACRIFICE  OF  THE  BODY  AND  BLOOD 

"7  xdll  satisfy  tlie  hunger  of  my  friends  with  my  own  body  and 

hloodr 

208.  BOAR  AND  LION 

"Eat  me,  0  lion!" 

Adapted  from  C.  H.  Tawney,  Ocean  of  the  Streams  of  Story 
(Kathasaritsagara),  Chapter  72. 

In  times  past  there  dwelt  in  a  cave  the  Vindhya  mountains  a  wise 
boar,  who  was  none  other  than  the  Buddha  in  a  previous  state  of 
existence,  and  with  him  his  friend  a  monkey.  He  was  compassionate 
towards  all  living  beings.  One  day  there  came  to  his  cave  a  lion 
and  a  lioness  and  their  cub.  And  the  lion  said  to  his  mate :  "Since 
the  rains  have  hindered  the  movements  of  all  living  beings,  we  shall 
of  a  certainty  perish  for  lack  of  some  animal  to  eat."  And  the 
lioness  said :  "Of  a  certainty  one  or  another  of  us  is  destined  to  die 
of  hunger.  Therefore  do  you  and  the  cub  eat  me,  for  thus  you  will 
save  your  lives!  Are  you  not  my  lord  and  master.?  Can  you  not 
get  another  mate  like  me?  Therefore  do  you  and  the  cub  eat  me, 
for  thus  you  will  save  your  lives !" 

Now  at  that  moment  the  wise  boar  awoke,  and  hearing  the  words 
of  the  lioness,  was  delighted,  and  thought  to  himself:  "This  is  the 
fruit  of  the  merit  which  I  have  acquired  in  previous  states  of 
existence.  I  will  satisfy  the  hunger  of  my  friends  with  my  own 
body  and  blood."  Then  the  wise  boar  arose  from  his  bed  and  went 
out  of  his  cave  and  said  to  the  lion:  "My  good  friend,  do  not 
despair.  For  here  I  am,  ready  to  be  eaten  by  you  and  your  mate 


298  "Eat  Me,  0  Griffin!"  [Chap.  XVI. 

and  your  cub.  Eat  mo,  0  lion !"  Now  when  the  lion  heard  these 
words,  he  was  delighted,  and  said  to  his  mate:  "Let  our  cub  eat 
first;  then  I  will  eat,  and  3^ou  shall  eat  after  me."  The  lioness 
agreed. 

So  first  the  cub  ate  some  of  the  flesh  of  the  wise  boar,  and  then 
the  lion  began  to  eat.  And  while  he  was  eating,  the  wise  boar  said 
to  him :  "Be  quick  and  drink  my  blood  before  it  sinks  into  the 
ground,  and  satisfy  your  hunger  with  my  flesh,  and  let  your  mate 
eat  what  is  left."  So  the  lion  gradually  devoured  the  flesh  until 
only  the  bones  were  left.  But — wonderful  to  relate ! — the  wise  boar 
did  not  die,  for  his  life  remained  in  him,  as  if  to  see  how  long  his 
endurance  would  endure.  In  the  meantime  the  lioness  died  of 
hunger  in  the  cave,  and  the  lion  went  off  somewhere  or  other  with 
his  cub,  and  so  the  night  came  to  an  end. 

Then  the  monkey  awoke  and  went  out  of  the  cave,  and  seeing 
the  wise  boar  reduced  to  a  heap  of  bones,  became  greatly  excited 
and  exclaimed:  "What  reduced  you  to  a  heap  of  bones.''  Tell  me, 
O  friend,  if  3^ou  can."  So  the  wise  boar  told  him  the  whole  story. 
Then  the  monkey  did  reverence  to  the  wise  boar,  and  said  to  him : 
"Tell  me  what  you  wish  me  to  do,  and  I  will  do  it."  The  wise  boar 
replied :  "I  wish  only  to  have  my  body  restored  to  me  like  as  it  was 
before,  and  to  have  the  lioness  that  died  of  hunger  restored  to  life 
again,  that  she  may  satisfy  her  hunger  with  my  body  and  blood." 
Thereupon,  as  the  fruit  of  the  merit  which  the  wise  boar  had 
acquired,  he  was  transformed  into  a  sage,  and  the  monkey  into  a 
sage  likewise. 


209.  FAIRY-PRINCE  AND  GRIFFIN 

"Eat  me,  0  griffinr 

Adapted  from  C.  H.  Tawney,  Ocean  of  the  Streams  of  Story 
(Kathasaritsagara),  Chapters  22  and  90. 

On  a  ridge  of  the  Himalaya  stands  a  city  called  the  Golden  City, 
for  it  gleams  from  afar  like  the  rays  of  the  sun.  And  in  that  city, 
once  upon  a  time,  lived  the  king  of  the  fairies,  and  his  name  was 
Jlmuta-ketu.  And  in  the  garden  of  his  palace  grew  a  wishing-tree, 
and  its  name  was  Granter  of  Desires,  for  it  granted  all  desires. 


Par,  209.]  Fairy-prince  and  Grifjin  299 

By  the  favor  of  that  tree  the  king  obtained  a  son,  who  was  none 
other  than  the  Future  Buddha,  and  his  name  was  Jimuta-vahana. 
He  was  valiant  in  generosity,  of  mighty  courage,  and  compassion- 
ate towards  all  living  beings. 

When  Jlmiita-vahana  was  become  of  age,  his  father  made  him 
crown-prince.  Thus  did  he  become  the  fairy-prince.  And  when  he 
had  become  the  fairy-prince,  the  ministers  of  the  kingdom  came 
to  him  and  said :  "O  fairy-prince,  do  reverence  alwaj^s  to  this 
wishing-tree,  for  it  grants  all  desires,  and  cannot  be  resisted  by 
any  living  creature.  For  so  long  as  we  possess  this  tree,  we  cannot 
suffer  injury  of  any  kind  from  any  one,  even  from  Indra,  king 
of  the  gods,  much  less  from  any  other." 

When  Jimuta-vrdiana  heard  these  words,  he  thought  to  himself: 
"Alas  !  our  forefathers,  for  all  their  possession  of  this  noble  tree, 
obtained  by  the  favor  of  this  tree  naught  but  wealth  and  victor}' 
over  their  enemies ;  thus  did  they  demean  themselves,  and  thus  did 
they  demean  this  tree  likewise.  For  no  such  purposes  as  these  will 
I  employ  this  tree.  For  I  know  that  the  good  things  of  this  world 
endure  but  for  a  short  while,  and  then  perish  and  vanish  uttei'ly. 
But  friendliness  and  compassion  and  generosity  towards  all  living 
beings  yield  abundant  fruit,  both  in  this  world  and  in  the  next.  As 
for  wealth,  if  it  be  not  used  for  the  benefit  of  others,  it  is  like 
lightning  which  for  an  instant  stings  the  eye,  and  then  flickers  and 
vanishes.  Therefore  if  this  wishing-tree  which  we  possess,  and 
which  grants  all  desires,  be  employed  for  the  benefit  of  others,  we 
shall  reap  from  it  all  the  fruit  that  it  can  give.  Accordingly  I  will 
so  act  that  by  the  wealth  of  this  tree  all  living  beings  shall  be 
delivered  from  poverty  and  distress." 

Then  Jimiita-vahana  went  to  the  wishing-tree  and  said :  "O  tree- 
spirit,  thou  that  dost  grant  to  us  the  fruit  that  we  desire,  fulfil 
to-day  this  one  wish  of  mine :  Deliver  all  living  beings  from  poverty 
and  distress."  Straightway^ — wonderful  to  relate  ! — the  wishing- 
tree  showered  a  shower  of  gold  upon  the  earth,  and  all  living  beings 
rejoiced  thereat  and  became  well-disposed  to  Jimuta-vahana,  and 
the  fame  and  glor}^  of  him  spread  both  near  and  far.  But  the 
relatives  of  Jimuta-ketu,  seeing  that  his  throne  was  firmly  estab- 
lished by  the  glory  of  his  son,  were  moved  to  jealousy  and  became 
hostile  to  him.  And  because  the  kingdom  of  Jimuta-ketu  was  weak, 
they  determined  to  attack  it  and  overthrow  it,  and  to  take  posses- 


300  "Eat  Me,  0  Griffinr  [Chap.  XVI. 

sion  of  the  wishing-tree  that  granted  all  desires.  And  they  as- 
sembled and  met  together  and  began  preparations  to  attack  the 
kingdom  of  Jimuta-ketu  and  to  overthrow  it  and  to  take  possession 
of  the  wishing-tree  that  granted  all  desires. 

Thereupon  Jimuta-vahana  the  fairy-prince  said  to  Jimuta-ketu 
the  fairy-king  his  father:  "Why  should  we  seek  to  obtain  new 
wealth,  or  to  retain  the  wealth  that  we  possess.''  Is  not  this  body 
of  ours  like  a  bubble  in  the  water,  which  bursts  in  an  instant  and 
vanishes.'*  Is  it  not  like  a  candle,  which,  when  it  is  exposed  to  the 
wind,  flickers  for  an  instant  and  goes  out?  Should  a  wise  man 
desire  to  obtain  wealth  or  to  retain  it  when  it  is  obtained,  by  the 
killing  of  living  beings.'*  I  will  not  fight  with  my  relatives.  There- 
fore I  will  leave  my  kingdom  and  go  to  some  forest-hermitage.  Let 
these  miserable  wretches  do  as  they  like,  but  let  us  not  kill  the 
members  of  our  own  family." 

And  Jimuta-ketu  the  fairy-king  said  to  Jimuta-vahana  the 
fairy-prince  his  son :  "Then  will  I  too  go,  my  son.  For  what  desire 
for  rule  can  I  have,  who  am  old,  when  you,  who  are  young,  out  of 
compassion  towards  all  living  beings,  abandon  your  kingdom  as 
though  it  were  so  much  straw  and  stubble.'*"  Thereupon  Jimuta- 
vahana,  with  his  father  and  mother,  went  to  the  Malaya  mountain, 
and  took  up  his  abode  in  a  forest-hermitage,  the  dwelling  of  the 
fairy-magicians,  the  Siddhas,  where  the  brooks  were  hidden  by  the 
sandalwood  trees,  and  devoted  himself  to  the  care  of  his  father 
and  mother. 

One  day,  as  he  was  roaming  about  with  a  companion,  he  came 
to  a  wood  on  the  shore  of  the  sea.  There  he  saw  many  heaps  of 
bones.  And  he  said  to  his  companion:  "Whose  bones  are  these.'*" 
His  companion  replied:  "Give  ear,  and  I  will  tell  you  the  story 
in  a  few  words." 

Fairy-hing  and  griffin. 

In  times  past  Kadru  and  Vinata,  the  two  wives  of  Kash^^apa, 
had  a  quarrel.  Kadru  said  that  the  horses  of  the  Sun  were  black, 
and  Vinata  said  that  they  were  white,  and  they  made  a  wager  that 
whichever  of  the  two  was  wrong  should  become  a  slave  of  the  other. 
Then  Kadrii,  bent  on  winning,  actually  induced  her  sons  the 
snakes  to  defile  the  horses  of  the  Sun  by  spitting  venom  over  them ; 


Par.  209.]  Fairy-'prince  and  Griffin  301 

and  showing  them  to  Vinata  tlius  defiled,  she  conquered  her  by  a 
trick  and  made  her  her  slave. 

When  the  griffin,  the  son  of  Vinata,  heard  of  that,  he  came  and 
tried  to  induce  Kadru  to  release  Vinata  from  slavery.  Then  the 
snakes,  the  sons  of  Kadru,  said  to  the  griffin,  the  son  of  Vinata: 
"O  griffin,  the  gods  have  begun  to  churn  the  sea  of  milk.  Fetch 
thence  the  drink  of  immortality  and  give  it  to  us  as  a  substitute, 
and  then  take  your  mother  away  with  you."  When  the  griffin 
heard  these  words,  he  went  to  the  sea  of  milk  and  displayed  his 
mighty  prowess  in  order  to  obtain  the  drink  of  immortality.  Then 
the  god  Vishnu,  pleased  with  his  mighty  prowess,  condescended  to 
say  to  him:  "I  am  pleased  with  thee;  choose  some  boon."  Then 
the  griffin,  angry  because  his  mother  had  been  made  a  slave,  asked 
the  following  boon  of  Vishnu :  "May  the  snakes  become  my  food !" 
Vishnu  granted  him  this  boon.  Now  Indra,  king  of  the  gods, 
listened  to  the  conversation,  and  when  the  griffin,  by  his  mighty 
prowess,  had  obtained  the  drink  of  immortality,  he  said  to  him: 
"O  griffin,  take  steps  to  prevent  the  foolish  snakes  from  consuming 
the  drink  of  immortality,  and  to  enable  me  to  take  it  away  from 
them  again."  The  griffin  agreed,  and  elated  by  the  boon  of  Vishnu, 
he  went  to  the  snakes  with  the  vessel  containing  the  drink  of  im- 
mortality. 

And  he  called  out  from  afar  to  the  snakes :  "To  you  have  I 
brought  the  drink  of  immortality.  Take  it,  and  release  my  mother. 
But  if  you  are  afraid,  I  will  put  it  on  a  bed  of  darbha-grass.  So 
soon  as  my  mother  is  released,  I  will  go ;  therefore  take  the  drink 
of  immortality  thence."  Now  the  snakes  were  terrified  by  reason 
of  the  boon  which  Vishnu  had  granted  to  the  griffin,  and  at  once 
agreed  to  the  bargain.  Then  the  griffin  set  on  a  bed  of  darbha- 
grass  the  vessel  containing  the  drink  of  immortality,  and  the 
snakes  released  his  mother  from  slavery,  and  the  griffin  departed 
with  her. 

But  while  the  snakes,  not  suspicious  of  a  ruse,  were  in  the  very 
act  of  taking  the  drink  of  immortality,  Indra,  king  of  the  gods, 
suddenly  swooped  down,  and  confounding  them  with  his  mighty 
prowess,  carried  off  the  vessel  containing  the  drink  of  immortality. 
Then  the  snakes  in  despair  licked  the  bed  of  darbha-grass  with 
their  tongues,  thinking  that  there  might  be  so  much  as  a  drop  of 
the  drink  of  immortality  spilt  thereon;  whereupon — wonderful  to 


302  "Eat  Me,  0  Griffinr  [Chap.  XVI. 

relate! — their   tongues    became    spHt,    and    they   became   double- 
tongued  for  nothing. 

Thus  did  the  snakes  fail  to  obtain  the  drink  of  immortality. 
And  straightway  their  enemy  the  griffin,  relying  on  the  boon  which 
he  had  obtained  from  Vishnu,  swooped  down  on  them  and  began  to 
devour  them.  And  this  he  did  again  and  again.  And  he  wrought 
such  havoc  among  them  that  the  snakes  in  Patala  were  nigh  unto 
death  from  sheer  fright,  and  their  females  miscarried,  and  the 
whole  race  of  the  snakes  was  nigh  unto  utter  destruction.  Then 
Vasuki,  king  of  the  snakes,  fearing  that  the  whole  race  of  the 
snakes  would  be  rooted  out,  begged  the  griffin  to  relent,  and  made 
the  following  agreement  with  him :  "O  king  of  birds,  every  day,  on 
the  hill  that  rises  out  of  the  sand  of  the  sea,  I  will  send  you  a  single 
snake  to  eat.  But  you  must  not  commit  the  folly  of  entering  Patala, 
for  by  destro3'ing  utterly  the  whole  race  of  the  snakes,  j^ou  will 
only  defeat  your  own  purpose."  The  griffin  consented.  So  every 
day,  on  the  hill  that  rises  out  of  the  sand  of  the  sea,  Vasuki,  king 
of  the  snakes,  sends  to  the  griffin,  the  king  of  the  birds,  a  single 
snake  to  eat.  And  the  griffin,  the  king  of  the  birds,  devours  each 
day  the  snake  w^hich  Vasuki,  king  of  the  snakes,  sends  to  him  to  eat. 
These  heaps  of  bones  are  the  bones  of  the  snakes  which  the  griffin 
has  eaten,  and  which,  gradually  accumulating,  have  come  to  look 
like  the  peak  of  a  mountain. 

When  Jhnuta-vrdiana,  the  fairy-prince,  embodiment  of  gen- 
erosity and  compassion  towards  all  living  beings,  heard  this  story 
from  the  lips  of  his  companion,  he  was  pricked  to  the  heart.  And 
he  said  to  his  companion :  "Of  a  truth,  Vasuki,  king  of  the  snakes, 
is  to  be  pitied,  for  that,  like  a  coward,  he  delivers  with  his  own 
hand  into  the  hands  of  his  most  bitter  enemy  the  snakes  that  are 
his  subjects.  Since  he  has  a  thousand  faces  and  a  thousand  mouths, 
why  can  he  not  say  with  one  of  his  mouths  to  the  griffin  who  is  his 
enemy:  'Eat  me  first,  O  griffin!'"  Then  did  the  noble-hearted 
Jimuta-vahana  make  the  following  Earnest  W^ish:  "May  I,  by 
the  sacrifice  of  my  own  body  and  blood,  obtain  Supreme  Enlighten- 
ment !" 

At  that  moment  a  servant  summoned  Jimuta-vahana's  com- 
panion to  return  home,  and  Jimuta-vrihana,  embodiment  of  gen- 
erosity and  compassion  towards  all  living  beings,  was  left  alone. 


Par.  209.]  Fairy-prince  and  Griffin  303 

And  Jimuta-vahana  roamed  about  alone,  intent  on  carrying  out 
the  resolution  which  he  had  formed.  And  as  he  roamed  about,  he 
heard  afar  off  a  piteous  sound  of  weeping.  And  drawing  near,  he 
beheld  on  a  lofty  slab  of  rock  a  youth  of  handsome  appearance 
plunged  in  bitter  grief.  And  by  his  side  stood  an  officer  of  some 
monarch,  as  if  he  had  brought  him  and  left  him  there.  And  the 
youth  was  seeking  to  persuade  an  old  woman  who  was  weeping,  to 
cease  her  weeping  and  return  whence  she  had  come. 

And  Jimuta-vahana  stood  and  listened,  melted  with  pity,  eager 
to  know  who  he  might  be,  and  she.  And  the  old  woman,  over- 
whelmed with  the  burden  of  her  grief,  began  to  look  again  and 
again  at  the  youth,  and  to  lament  her  misfortune  in  the  following 
words:  "Alas,  Shankha-chiida !  thou  that  wast  obtained  by  me  at 
the  cost  of  a  hundred  bitter  pangs  !  Alas,  virtuous  youth !  Alas, 
son,  only  scion  of  our  family,  where  shall  I  behold  thee  again.? 
Bereft  of  thee,  thy  father  will  be  plunged  into  the  darkness  of 
sorrow,  and  will  not  for  long  endure  to  live.  That  body  of  thine, 
which  would  suffer  even  from  the  torch  of  the  sun's  rays, — how 
can  it  endure  the  agony  of  being  devoured  by  the  griffin.''  How 
comes  it  that  Fate  and  the  king  of  the  snakes  were  able  to  discover 
thee,  the  only  son  of  ill-starred  me,  though  the  world  of  the  snakes 
is  wide.?"  Thereupon  the  youth  said:  "Mother,  I  am  afflicted 
enough  as  it  is.  Why  do  you  afflict  me  more.?  Return  to  your  home, 
I  beg  you.  This  is  my  last  reverence  to  you.  The  griffin  will  soon 
be  here."  When  the  old  woman  heard  those  words,  she  cast  her 
sorrowful  eyes  all  around  the  horizon,  and  cried  aloud:  "Alas,  I 
am  undone !  Who  will  deliver  my  son  from  death.?" 

Then  Jimuta-vahana  with  joy  and  delight  went  up  to  the  old 
woman  and  said :  "Mother,  I  will  deliver  your  son !" 

When  the  old  woman  heard  those  words,  she  was  frightened  and 
terrified,  for  she  thought  that  the  griffin  had  come.  And  straight- 
way she  cried  out:  "Eat  me,  O  griffin!  eat  me!"  Then  said  the 
youth  her  son:  "Mother,  be  not  afraid,  for  this  is  no  griffin!" 
Then  said  Jimiita-vahana :  "Mother,  I  am  the  prince  of  the  fairies, 
disguised  in  the  garb  of  a  man.  I  am  come  to  deliver  your  son 
from  death.  I  will  give  my  own  body  and  blood  to  the  hungry 
griffin.  Therefore  return  to  your  home,  and  take  your  son  with 
you."  But  the  old  woman  said :  "By  no  means !  for  in  a  still  higher 
sense  you  yourself  are  my  very  own  son,  since  you  have  shown  such 


304  "Eat  Me,  0  Griffinr  [Chap.  XVI. 

a  measure  of  compassion  to  me  and  my  son  at  this  time."  Then 
said  Jimuta-vahana :  "I  have  formed  a  resolution,  and  you  must 
not  defeat  my  purpose." 

Then  said  the  youth:  "0  thou  of  great  and  noble  heart !  I  cannot 
consent  to  save  my  own  body  at  the  cost  of  thine.  Should  a  com- 
mon stone  be  saved  by  the  sacrifice  of  a  precious  stone.''  The  world 
is  full  of  those  who,  like  myself,  pity  only  themselves.  But  few 
in  number  are  those  who  entertain  sentiments  of  compassion  for 
the  whole  world  and  for  all  the  living  beings  that  are  therein." 
At  that  moment  the  trees  began  to  sway  with  the  wind  of  the 
wings  of  the  griffin,  and  seemed  to  utter  a  cry  of  dissuasion.  And 
the  sea,  churned  by  the  wind,  seemed  with  the  eyes  of  its  bright- 
flashing  jewels  to  be  gazing  in  wonder  and  astonislunent  at  the 
greatness  of  his  courage  and  the  depth  of  his  compassion.  Then 
came  the  griffin,  hiding  the  heavens  with  his  outspread  wings.  And 
swooping  down,  he  smote  the  valiant  hero  Jimuta-vahana  with  his 
beak,  and  gripping  him  with  his  talons,  carried  him  off  from  that 
slab  of  rock;  and  soaring  aloft,  flew  quickly  with  him  to  a  peak 
of  the  Malaya  mountain,  to  eat  him  there.  And  Jimuta-vahana's 
crest- jewel  was  torn  from  his  head,  and  drops  of  blood  fell  from 
his  body,  as  the  griffin  carried  him  through  the  air.  And  while  the 
griffin  was  devouring  his  body  and  blood,  he  uttered  the  following 
Earnest  Wish:  "May  my  body  and  blood  be  offered  thus  in  every 
state  of  my  existence,  and  may  I  not  obtain  rebirth  in  heaven  or 
deliverance  from  the  round  of  existences  if  thereby  I  shall  be 
deprived  of  the  opportunity  of  doing  good  to  my  neighbor !" 

But  afterwards,  through  the  finding  of  his  crest-jewel,  his 
kinsfolk  and  friends  effected  his  deliverance  from  the  power  of  the 
griffin,  and  a  goddess  sprinkled  him  with  a  potion,  whereupon  he 
arose  more  glorious  than  before,  with  all  his  limbs  made  whole 
again.  And  the  goddess  said  to  him:  "My  son,  I  am  pleased  with 
this  sacrifice  of  thy  body  and  blood.  Therefore  I  sprinkle  thee  king 
of  the  fairies,  and  thy  reign  shall  endure  for  a  cycle  of  time." 
Thereupon  a  rain  of  flowers  fell  from  the  sky,  and  the  drums  of 
the  gods  resounded  with  approbation.  And  the  griffin  repented  of 
his  evil  deeds,  and  said:  "From  this  day  henceforth  I  will  not 
again  eat  snakes.  As  for  those  which  I  have  ah'eady  eaten,  let  them 
return  to  life  again !"  Then — wonderful  to  relate ! — all  the  snakes 
that  he  had  previously  eaten  returned  to  life  again.  Then  Jimuta- 


Par.  210.]  Jeweler,  Monk,  Goose  305 

vahana  was  escorted  to  the  Himalaya,  and  was  sprinkled  king  over 
all  the  kings  of  the  fairies,  and  his  reign  endured  for  a  cycle  of 
time. 

210.  JEWELER,  MONK,  AND  GOOSE 

"/  am  ready  to  sacrifice  my  body  to  preserve  the  life  of  this 
goose!" 

Moreover,  one  should  observe  the  Precepts  strictly;  it  is  better 
to  renounce  one's  life  than  to  violate  them. 

From  E.  Huber,  A9vaghosha's  Sutralamkara,  No.  63. 

Thus  have  I  heard :  A  monk  was  making  his  round  for  alms  from 
door  to  door.  He  reached  the  house  of  a  jeweler,  and  stopped 
before  the  door.  At  that  moment  the  jeweler  was  preparing  to 
pierce  a  pearl  for  the  king.  The  color  of  the  monk's  robe  Avas  re- 
flected on  the  pearl,  which  thus  took  on  a  red  color.  The  jeweler 
went  into  his  house  to  seek  food  for  the  monk.  At  that  moment  a 
goose  saw  this  pearl,  red  in  color,  similar  in  appearance  to  a 
piece  of  meat;  immediately  she  swallowed  it.  Then  the  jeweler 
returned  with  the  food  and  gave  it  to  the  monk.  When  he  looked  for 
the  pearl,  nowhere  could  he  find  it  again.  This  pearl  was  of  great 
value  and  belonged  to  the  king.  The  jeweler,  who  was  poor,  and 
who  had  just  lost  the  king's  precious  pearl,  addressed  the  monk 
excitedly  and  said  to  him :  "Give  me  back  the  pearl !"  Then  the 
monk  thus  reflected:  "This  pearl  has  just  been  swallowed  by  a 
goose.  If  I  say  that  to  this  man,  he  will  kill  the  goose  to  get  the 
pearl.  I  am  in  a  very  painful  situation.  What  should  I  do  to  avert 
this  calamity .'"'  Then  he  uttered  the  following  stanzas : 

If  I  respect  the  life  of  this  living  being,  my  body  will  endure  suffer- 
ings; 
But  I  have  no  other  means, — my  life  alone  can  redeem  hers. 

If  I  say  to  this  man  that  the  goose  has  swallowed  [the  pearl], 
He  will  not  believe  me,  and  he  will  kill  this  goose. 

Why  should  I  use  this  means? 

I  am  ffoing:  to  give  mv  own  bodv  to  save  her. 

Now,  to  prevent  this  goose  from  being  killed, 

Shall  I  say  that  some  one  has  taken  it  and  carried  it  off? 


306  '7  Will  Offer  My  Bodyr  [Chap.  XVI. 

No  more  may  this  be  said. 

For  if  one  desires  to  keep  oneself  free  from  sins. 

One  must  refrain  from  words  of  falsehood. 

I  have  indeed  heard  the  Brahmans  say: 
Recoil  not  from  falsehood  to  save  your  life. 

But  I  have  also  heard  this  saying  of  an  ancient  sage: 
It  is  better  to  abandon  one's  life  than  ever  to  make  a  lie. 

The  Buddha  has  related  the  story  of  a  thief 
Whose  body  was  mutilated  with  a  saw. 

But  even  in  the  midst  of  his  sufferings, 

He  was  altogether  unwilling  to  violate  the  Law. 

Even  though  by  a  lie  one  might  save  himself, 
It  is  not  proper  to  make  it. 

It  is  better  to  remain  faithful  to  the  Precepts 
And  to  renounce  your  own  life.* 

If  I  should  make  myself  guilty  of  a  lie. 

All  those  who  are  vowed  to  the  religious  life 

Could  accuse  me  of  having  violated  the  Precepts. 

Such  an  accusation,  and  their  contempt. 

Would,  of  a  surety,  be  calculated  to  burn  my  heart. 

It  is  for  this  reason 

That  it  does  not  become  me  to  violate  the  Precepts. 

In  the  midst  of  my  sorry  plight, 

I  should  imitate  geese, 

Which,  when  drinking  a  mixture  of  water  and  milk. 

Are  able  to  drink  all  of  the  milk. 
And  leave  only  the  water. 

It  is  thus  that  I  should  act: 

I  should  flee  the  evil,  and  choose  only  the  good. 

Here  are  tlie  words  of  a  Sutra: 

When  a  wise  man  and  a  simpleton 

Find  themselves  in  the  same  difficulty, 

The  former  does  not  imitate  the  bad  conduct  of  the  latter. 

The  man  who  adheres  to  the  good. 
Knows  how  to  leave  the  evil  alone. 
Like  a  goose  that  drinks  a  mixture  of  water  and  milk. 

I  am  read}'^  to  sacrifice  my  body  and  my  life 
To  preserve  the  life  of  this  goose. 

This  faithful  observance  of  the  Precepts 
Will  bring  me  to  Deliverance. 


Par.  210.]  Jeweler,  Monl;  Goose  307 

When  the  jeweler  had  heard  these  stanzas,  he  said  to  the  monk: 
"Give  me  back  my  pearl !  If  you  don't  give  it  back,  I  will  make  you 
endure  many  sufferings,  and  will  show  you  no  pity."  The  monk 
replied  to  him :  "Do  you  think  I  would  remain  silent,  if  I  had  stolen 
your  pearl .f"'  The  jeweler  said  to  him:  "Nevertheless,  there  was  no 
other  person  who  would  have  been  able  to  rob  me  of  this  pearl." 
And  immediately  the  jeweler  closed  his  door  and  said  to  the  monk: 
"You  are  mighty  obstinate !"  Then  the  monk  turned  his  eyes  in 
the  four  directions,  but  found  a  refuge  nowhere, — like  a  stag 
taken  in  an  enclosure,  knowing  no  way  to  get  out:  thus  was  the 
monk,  deprived  of  help.  Then  the  monk  tightened  and  adjusted 
his  robes.  This  man  said  to  the  monk:  "Are  you  getting  ready  to 
fight  with  me?"  The  monk  replied  to  him:  "I  will  not  fight  with 
you.  I  fight  only  with  the  Contaminations  and  the  Bonds.  What  I 
have  just  done,  was  for  a  different  reason:  I  fear  that  my  body 
may  be  stripped  naked  when  you  strike  me.  For  we  monks,  when 
we  are  about  to  endure  sufferings,  when  our  end  is  at  hand,  cover 
ourselves  with  our  robes  to  prevent  the  stripping  of  our  body." 
And  the  monk  uttered  these  stanzas  further : 

The  Exalted  One  was  full  of  modesty; 
I  am  obedient  to  his  teaching. 

When  I  reach  the  termination  of  my  life, 
I  wish  not  to  have  my  body  remain  naked. 

Then  the  jeweler  said  to  the  monk:  "Have  you  not,  then,  the 
least  concern  for  your  life.'^"  The  monk  replied  to  him:  "The  Law 
of  us  religious  requires  us  to  preserve  our  life  until  we  have  at- 
tained Deliverance.  Even  in  the  midst  of  the  greatest  dangers,  it 
is  necessary  to  protect  your  own  life.  But  now  I  know  in  advance 
that  I  ought  to  abandon  this  body ;  and  for  this  deed  the  congre- 
gation of  those  who  have  retired  from  the  world  will  glorify  my 
name."  Then  he  uttered  these  stanzas : 

When  I  quit  life, 

I  shall  fall  as  a  dry  branch  falls. 

But  that  will  be  in  order  that  I  may  be  glorified 
For  having  given  my  life  to  save  a  goose. 

And  that  will  cause  all  who  come  after  me 
To  be  inspired  with  disgust  [for  the  world] 
And  to  be  ready  to  sacrifice  their  bod}'. 


308  "/  Will  Offer  Mij  Body!"  [Chap.  XVI. 

Those  who  liear  tlie  story  of  it  told 
Will  redouble  their  zeal ; 
They  will  follow  the  Noble  Path ; 
They  will  keep  the  Precepts  faithfully. 

And  those  who  violate  the  Precepts 

Will  form  the  resolution  to  keep  them  with  all  their  heart. 

Then  the  jeweler  said  to  the  monk:  "What  you  have  just  said 
is  only  sham  and  falsehood.  You  wish  simply  to  win  the  praises 
of  men."  The  monk  replied  to  him :  "Then  you  believe  me  to  be 
capable  of  staining  myself  with  a  falsehood?  Pray,  what  good 
would  these  praises  do  me.^  I  am  not  shamming  when  I  say  that  I 
am  joyful.  I  am  not  anxious  to  have  men  glorify  my  name,  but  I 
desire  the  Exalted  One  to  know  my  devoted  heart."  Then  he 
uttered  these  stanzas : 

The  disciples  of  the  Great  Sage, 

In  order  to  remain  faithful  to  the  Precepts, 

Abandon  life,  which  is  difficult  to  abandon: 

They  do  so  in  order  that  the  inhabitants  of  the  whole  world 

And  all  those  that  have  retired  from  the  world 
May  form  high  resolutions. 

Though  they  may  not  liave  formed  them. 
The}'  will  surely  form  them  in  the  future. 

Then  the  jeweler  bound  the  monk  and  beat  him  with  a  stick. 
He  asked  the  monk:  "Where  is  the  pearl.?  Give  me  back  my  pearl!" 
The  monk  replied  to  him:  "I  haven't  the  pearl."  The  jeweler  began 
to  weep,  for  his  heart  was  full  of  remorse;  and  the  fact  that  the 
pearl  belonged  to  the  king  added  yet  more  to  his  despair.  The 
monk  uttered  these  stanzas : 

Alas !  how  poor  this  man  is ! 
I  know  good  and  evil  deeds. 
His  heart  is  filled  with  remorse. 
Alas  !  this  poor  man 
Does  evil  because  he  is  poor. 

Then  the  jeweler,  shedding  tears,  prostrated  himself  on  his  face 
before  the  feet  of  the  monk,  and  said  to  him :  "]\Iake  me  glad,  and 
give  me  back  my  pearl.  Then  you  will  cease  to  suffer,  and  you  will 
not  make  me  suffer  any  more."  The  monk  replied :  "I  have  not,  in 
reality,  taken   it."   Then  the  jeweler  said:   "This   monk  is   very 


Par.  210.]  Jeweler,  Monk,  Goose  309 

obstinate;   notwithstanding  his   sufferings,   he  denies  having  the 
pearl." 

The  jeweler,  who  was  very  poor,  and  who  could  not  find  his 
pearl,  commenced  once  more,  insane  with  anger,  to  beat  [the 
monk].  The  monk,  who  had  his  two  hands  and  his  neck  bound, 
turned  his  eyes  in  the  four  directions ;  he  saw  no  one  whom  he  could 
call;  death  for  him  was  inevitable.  Then  the  monk  said  to  himself: 
"In  the  round  of  existences,  one  is  always  in  danger  of  such  suffer- 
ings. One  must  stoutly  refuse  to  violate  the  Precepts.  For  if  one 
violates  the  Precepts,  one  is  smitten  with  the  punishments  of  hell, 
which  are  indeed  more  terrible  than  my  present  evils."  And  he 
pronounced  these  stanzas : 

With  constancy  I  call  to  mind  the  All-knowing, 

The  Merciful,  the  Compassionate, 

My  venerated  ]\Iaster ; 

I  remember  his  teaching, 

And  the  words  of  Fou-na-kia, 

And  I  call  to  mind 

The  sage  Kshjinti  who  resided  in  the  forest: 

They  mutilated  his  feet  and  his  hands. 

They  cut  off  his  ears  and  his  nose, 

Witliout  making  him  angry. 

A  monk  ought  also  to  call  to  mind 

That  which  is  said  in  the  Sutra: 

Thus  the  Buddha  enjoins  upon  the  monks: 

//  with  a  saw  they  mutilate  you. 

All  your  members,  your  hands  and  your  feet. 

You  must  not  get  angry. 

Yoii  must  think  solely  of  the  Buddha; 

You  must  call  to  mind  the  Precepts! 

In  my  previous  states  of  existence 

I  have  been  put  to  death  for  adultery  or  for  theft 

So  many  times  that  they  cannot  be  counted. 

As  deer,  as  stag,  or  as  one  of  the  six  domestic  animals, 

I  have  been  put  to  death  innumerable  times. 

But  in  these  occurrences  I  suffered  without  profit  to  myself. 

To  die  for  the  keeping  of  the  Precepts 
Is  better  than  to  live  and  violate  them. 

Even  if  one  desires  to  preserve  his  life. 
He  will  end  by  dying  just  the  same. 
It  is  far  better  to  keep  the  Precepts 


310  "/  Will  Offer  My  Bodijr  [Chap.  XVI. 

And  to  preserve  one's  life  for  the  profit  of  others. 
Let  us  renounce  this  body,  exposed  to  dangers, 
To  obtain  life  in  Deliverance. 

Among  those  who  renounce  life, 

There  are  those  who  reap  merit  therefrom, 

And  tliere  are  those  who  derive  no  profit  therefrom. 

The  wise  man,  while  preserving  his  life, 

Reaps  glory  and  merit; 

The  man  without  intelligence^  when  he  abandons  his  life, 

Suffers  in  vain,  and  gains  no  advantage. 

At  that  moment  the  monk  said  to  the  jeweler:  "Do  not  forget 
sentiments  of  pity!  Oh,  how  I  suffer!"  Then  the  jeweler,  weeping 
and  sad,  pronounced  these  stanzas : 

Even  in  the  act  of  beating  you, 

I  suffer  horribly; 

And  when  I  think  of  the  king 

Who  will  demand  of  me  an  accounting  for  my  pearl. 

Renewed  is  my  inclination  to  torture  you. 

Escape,  then,  from  these  sufferings. 
And  cause  my  sufferings  to  cease. 
You  have  renounced  the  world; 
You  should  renounce  covetousness. 
Drive  covetousness  from  your  heart  1 
Give  me  back  my  pearl ! 

The  monk  smiled  feebly,  and  pronounced  these  stanzas : 

Yes !  my  heart  is  full  of  covetousness. 

But  never  have  I  desired  this  pearl. 

Hearken  to  what  I  shall  say  to  you: 

What  I  covet  is  the  good  opinion 

And  the  admiration  of  the  sages ; 

What  I  covet  is  the  Precepts 

And  the  Law  which  procures  final  Deliverance. 

The  supreme  object  of  my  covetousness 

Is  the  Way  of  the  Deathless  [Nirvana]. 

Never  has  my  heart  desired  your  pearl. 

I  clothe  myself  witli  robes  from  a  dust-heap, 

I  live  on  food  received  by  way  of  alms, 

I  have  established  my  residence  under  the  trees: 

All  that  suffices  me. 

What  reason  should  T  have 

To  make  myself  a  thief? 

Consider  this  well ! 


Par.  210.]  Jeweler,  Monk,  Goose  311 

The  jeweler  said  to  the  monk:  "What  is  the  good  of  all  these 
words.'"'  Then  he  garroted  him  further,  beat  him  with  a  stick,  and 
bound  him  tight  with  cords.  His  eyes,  his  mouth,  and  his  nose  were 
bleeding. 

At  this  moment  the  goose  came  back  to  drink  his  blood.  The 
jeweler,  furious,  beat  the  goose  to  death.  The  monk  said:  "Is  this 
goose  quite  dead.^"'  The  jeweler  replied  to  him:  "Why  do  you  ask 
me  whether  the  goose  is  dead  or  alive.'"'  Then  the  monk  turned 
towards  the  goose,  and  when  he  saw  that  she  was  dead,  he  wept 
and  displayed  no  satisfaction.  Then  he  uttered  these  stanzas : 

I  endured  all  the  tortures 

In  the  hope  of  sparing  the  life  of  this  goose. 

And  now  I  remain  alive  still, 
While  the  goose  has  died  before  me. 

In  the  hope  of  saving  your  life, 
I  endured  these  horrible  sufferings. 

Why  did  you  precede  me  in  death  ? 
No  more  do  I  deserve  reward. 

The  jeweler  asked  the  monk:  "What  affection  have  you  for  this 
goose,  that  you  are  so  greatly  afflicted  [by  her  death]  ?"  The 
monk  replied  to  him :  "I  am  sad  because  I  have  been  unable  to  fulfil 
my  vow.  I  formed  the  resolution  to  give  my  life  for  that  of  the 
goose.  Now  that  this  goose  is  dead,  I  am  unable  to  fulfil  my  vow." 
The  jeweler  asked;  "Why  did  you  utter  this  vow.?"  The  monk 
replied:  "The  Buddha,  when  he  was  still  a  Future  Buddha,  per- 
mitted his  hands  and  his  feet  to  be  mutilated,  and  did  not  spare 
himself  when  the  salvation  of  living  beings  was  involved.  I  wished 
to  imitate  him."  Then  he  uttered  these  stanzas : 

In  times  past,  the  Future  Buddha 

Sacrificed  himself  to  redeem  the  life  of  a  dove; 

I  formed  a  similar  resolution, 

I  was  sacrificing  my  life  for  a  goose. 

I  formed  a  noble  resolution, 
I  desired  to  save  the  life  of  this  goose. 
But  since  you  have  just  killed  the  goose, 
I  cannot  fulfil  my  vow. 

The  jeweler  said:  "I  do  not  yet  understand  your  words.  Explain 
to  me  in  detail  your  reason  for  so  acting."  Then  the  monk  replied 
to  him  with  these  stanzas  : 


312  '7  Will  Offer  My  BodyT  [Chap.  XVI. 

JNIy  robe  red  in  color 
^    Threw  on  the  pearl  a  reflection  of  flesh  color. 

This  goose  mistook  it  for  a  piece  of  meat 
And  swallowed  it. 

I  endured  all  the  sufferings 
To  save  this  goose. 

In  the  midst  of  the  tortures  and  the  pains, 
I  hoped  to  save  her  life. 

The  living  beings  of  the  whole  world 

Are  regarded  by  the  Buddha  as  his  children; 

Even  those  who  are  destitute  of  all  merit 
Are  embraced  by  the  Buddlia  with  pity. 

Gautama  is  my  Master: 

How  could  I  let  a  living  being  suffer? 

This  living  being  is  my  brother: 
How  could  I  wound  him? 

When  the  jeweler  had  heard  these  stanzas,  he  opened  the  belly 
of  the  goose  and  recovered  his  pearl.  Then  he  lamented  in  a  loud 
voice,  and  said  to  tlic  monk:  "To  save  the  life  of  the  goose,  j'ou 
have  not  spared  your  own !  And  thus  you  have  caused  me  to  act 
contrary  to  the  Law."  Then  he  uttered  these  stanzas: 

Yoii  are  a  Treasury  of  Merits, 

Like  a  fire  that  is  covered  with  ashes. 

The  result  of  my  folly  will  be 

That  I  shall  be  punished  in  many  hundreds  of  births. 

You  are  altogether  worthy 

To  bear  the  standard  of  the  Buddha. 

Blinded  by  my  ignorance, 

I  have  not  been  able  to  exercise  good  judgment. 

Tlie  fire  of  ignorance  burns  me. 
Therefore  pray  remain  a  moment  longer 
To  receive  the  expression  of  my  repentance; 

As  one  who  has  stumbled, 

Lift  me  up  again  from  the  earth,  cause  me  to  stand  erect ! 

Accept  a  slight  reparation  from  me ! 

Then  the  jeweler  joined  his  hands,  addressed  himself  to  the 
monk,  and  pronounced  in  a  loud  voice  the  following  stanzas : 


Par.  211.]  Rupdvatt  313 

Glory  to  him  whose  conduct  is  pure ! 

Glory  to  him  who  has  kejjt  the  Precepts  faithfully ! 

Placed  in  a  difficult  position, 

He  has  shown  no  sign  of  wavering. 

When  one  is  not  placed  in  a  position  similarly  painful, 
There  is  nothing  extraordinary  in  keeping  the  Precepts. 

But  when,  in  the  midst  of  tortures  like  these, 
One  has  the  courage  to  keep  the  Precepts, 
This  is  called  performing  a  difficult  act. 

To  sustain  tortures  to  save  a  goose, 
And  not  violate  the  Precepts, — 
This  is  in  truth  difficult  to  do. 

When  the  jeweler  had  expressed  his  repentance,  he  permitted 
the  monk  to  return  to  his  residence. 


211.  RUPAVATI 

"Only  that  I  might  attain  Supreme  Enlightenment !" 
Synopsis  of  Divyavadana  472, 473,  478. 

In  a  previous  state  of  existence  the  Future  Buddha  was  reborn  as 
a  woman  named  Riipavati.  One  day  Rupavati  came  upon  a  starv- 
ing woman  who  was  about  to  devour  her  new-born  child,  whereupon 
she  cut  off  her  own  breasts  and  gave  them  to  the  woman  for  food. 
When  her  husband  learned  of  her  act,  he  performed  the  following 
Act  of  Truth:  "If  it  be  true  that  so  wonderful  and  marvelous 
thing  has  never  been  seen  before  or  heard  of  before,  then  may  your 
breasts  be  restored."  Straightway  her  breasts  were  restored. 

Indra,  fearing  that  by  the  merit  of  her  sacrifice  Riipavati  might 
thrust  him  from  his  seat,  went  in  disguise  to  Riipavati  and  asked 
her:  "Is  it  true  that  you  sacrificed  3'our  breasts  for  the  sake  of  a 
child.?"  "It  is  true."  "Did  you  not,  either  in  the  act,  or  after  the 
act,  regret  so  doing. f^"  "No."  "Who  will  believe  you.?"  Riipavati 
replied :  "Then  I  wil|  make  an  Act  of  Truth : 

"  'If  it  be  true  that  neither  in  the  act  nor  after  the  act  had  I 
any  feeling  of  remorse  or  regret ;  if  it  be  true  that  I  acted,  not 
for  the  sake  of  dominion,  not  for  the  sake  of  heaven,  not  that  I 
might  become  an  Indra  or  a  Universal  Monarch,  but  solely  and 


314  "Mij  Heart,  Saviour  of  All!"  [Chap.  XVI. 

only  that  I  might  attain  Supreme  Enlightenment :  thereby  to  sub- 
due the  unsubdued,  to  emancipate  the  unemancipated,  to  console 
the  unconsolcd,  to  enable  them  that  have  attained  not  Nirvana  to 
attain  unto  Nirvana; — if  all  this  be  true,  then  may  I  cease  to  be 
a  woman  and  become  a  man.'  "  Straightway  she  ceased  to  be  a 
woman  and  became  a  man,  Rupavata. 

Reborn  as  the  Brahman  Chandra-prabha,  the  Future  Buddha 
one  day  came  upon  a  starving  tigress  about  to  devour  her  young. 
He  thereupon  resolved  to  give  his  own  body  and  blood  to  the 
tigress  for  food.  So  calling  upon  the  deities  of  various  ranks  to 
witness,  he  announced  his  intention  of  making  the  highest  and  most 
sublime  of  all  sacrifices ;  namely,  the  sacrifice  of  his  own  body  and 
blood.  Then,  making  an  Act  of  Truth  in  terms  identical  with  the 
preceding,  he  drew  his  sword,  cut  his  own  throat,  and  flung  his 
body  to  the  tigress. 


212.  KING  SHIBI  AND  THE  BIRD 

"Thou  alone,  0  my  Heart,  art  called  to  he  the  Saviour  of  All!" 
From  E.  Huber,  Agvaghosha's  Sutralariikara,  No.  64. 

Moreover:  It  is  difficult  to  obtain  the  privilege  of  hearing  the  Law  of 
the  Buddha.  In  times  past,  when  the  TathJigata  was  yet  a  Future 
Buddha,  he  spared  not  his  life  when  it  was  a  matter  of  finding  the 
Law.  Accordingly^  one  should  listen  to  the  Law  with  heart  full  of 
zeal. 

I  HAVE  heard  related  the  parable  of  the  pigeon : 

There  was  an  heretical  teacher  who  expounded  his  false  doc- 
trine to  Indra  [king  of  the  gods].  This  heretical  teacher,  destitute 
of  true  knowledge,  pretended  to  possess  omniscience,  and  denied 
the  existence  of  a  being  possessed  of  Perfect  and  Supreme  En- 
lightenment. When  Indra  heard  these  words,  he  experienced  dis- 
pleasure,  and  became  very  sad.  Then  Indra  proceeded  to  explore 
the  universe,  to  discover  whether  there  was  an  ascetic  who  had 
arrived  at  omniscience,  at  the  end  of  his  desires, — even  as  it  is  said 
in  the  stanzas  of  tlie  Sutras  of  the  Questio7is  of  Indra: 

My  spirit  seeks^  but  cannot  find  contentment ; 

Day  and  night,  doubts  agitate  me ; 

I  cannot  distinguish  the  true  from  the  false. 


Par.  212.]  SJiibi  and  Bird  315 

From  afar  am  I  come 

With  anxious  desire  never-ceasing 

To  complete  my  inquiries: 

I  know  not  in  what  place 

The  great  and  true  Saviour  is  now  to  be  found. 

Vishva-karman  [Vulcan]  said  to  Indra :  "A  denizen  of  heaven 
should  not  give  himself  over  to  sadness.  In  the  world  of  men,  in 
the  kingdom  of  Kushi-nagara,  dwells  a  king  named  Shibi.  He 
devotes  himself  with  zeal  to  macerations  and  to  the  quest  of  Su- 
preme Enlightenment.  Men  of  intelligence  who  have  watched  him, 
believe  that  this  king  will  presently  attain  the  condition  of  a 
Buddha.  Let  us  approach  him!"  Indra  replied:  "Is  it  perfectly 
certain  that  he  will  not  be  shaken  in  his  resolution.?"  Then  he 
uttered  these  stanzas : 

Although  the  little  fishes 

Be  very  numerous,  few  among  them  grow  big; 
And  among  the  fruits  of  the  mango-tree, 
Those  that  attain  maturity  are  rare. 

So  also  is  it  with  Future  Buddhas : 

Those  who  utter  the  vow  to  attain  Enlightenment  are  numerous ; 

Those  who  attain  it  are  few  indeed. 

Those  who  practice  austerities 
Without  ever  flinching. 
May  be  looked  upon  as  Future  Buddhas ; 
Those  who  desire  to  become  Buddhas 
Should  show  a  heart  full  of  constancy. 

Vishva-karman  said:  "Let  us  make  a  journey  and  find  out  for 
ourselves.  If,  in  reality,  he  has  formed  an  unshakable  resolution, 
we  will  pay  our  respects  to  him." 

Then  Indra,  with  the  intention  of  sounding  the  heart  of  the 
Future  Buddha,  changed  himself  into  a  hawk,  and  said  to  Vishva- 
karman:  "Change  yourself  into  a  pigeon!"  Immediately  Vishva- 
karman  changed  himself  into  a  pigeon  with  a  body  as  blue  as  the 
sky  and  eyes  like  red  pearls,  and  took  his  place  near  Indra.  At  this 
moment  Indra,  filled  with  pity,  said  to  Vishva-karman :  "Why  do 
we  seek  to  increase  the  troubles  of  the  Future  Buddha.?  We  shall 
cause  the  king  of  the  Shibis  to  endure  sufferings ;  it  is  true  that  he 
will  suffer.  But  when  one  is  selecting  a  precious  jewel,  one  examines 
it  repeatedly  in  order  to  make  sure  that  it  is  not  artificial.  The  way 


316  ''Mij  Heart,  Saviour  of  All!"  [Chap.  XVI. 

to  examine  a  jewel  is  to  cut  it,  to  break  it,  to  expose  it  to  the  fire, 
and  to  strike  it ;  then  alone  does  one  know  whether  it  is  not  arti- 
ficial." 

Then  the  pigeon,  pursued  by  the  hawk,  displayed  great  fear, 
and  in  the  presence  of  a  great  crowd,  came  and  sought  refuge 
under  the  arm-pit  of  the  king  of  the  Shibis.  The  pigeon  had  the 
blue  color  of  a  lotus-leaf,  and  his  brightness  shone  like  a  rain-bow 
in  the  midst  of  a  dark  cloud ;  he  gleamed  with  pure  lustre.  Thereat 
all  the  people  were  filled  with  wonderment,  and  uttered  these 
stanzas : 

In  truth,  he  ought  to  be  full  of  mercy, 

In  order  that  all  living  beings  may  have  entire  confidence  in  him. 

Thus  [the  birds],  when  the  sun  disappears, 
Fly  away  towards  their  nest. 

But  at  this  moment  the  hawk  says : 
"O  king,  give  me  back  my  prey !" 

The  king  heard  the  words  of  the  hawk,  and  saw  the  fright  of  the 
pigeon.  Straightway  he  pronounced  these  stanzas : 

This  pigeon,  seized  with  fear. 

Has  come  towards  me  with  wings  outspread. 

Although  his  mouth  cannot  speak. 
His  eyes  are  filled  with  tears. 

It  becomes  me,  therefore. 

To  grant  him  aid  and  protection. 

Then  the  great  king,  in  order  to  reassure  the  pigeon,  uttered 
these  stanzas  further : 

Have  no  fear ! 

Never  will  I  permit  your  death. 

Even  should  it  become  my  duty  to  save  you  at  the  risk  of  my  life, 
In  no  wise  will  I  refuse  you  my  assistance. 

Not  only  will  I  give  you  aid  and  help, 
But  I  will  protect  also  all  living  beings. 

For  the  good  of  all  living  beings 
I  lavish  my  efforts. 

The  inhabitants  of  my  kingdom  pay  heavy  taxes  to  me; 
Of  six  parts  of  their  goods,  they  pay  one  to  me. 


Par.  212.]  Shibi  and  Bird  317 

Upon  me  [in  return]  rests  the  obligation,  towards  all  living  beings 
To  show  myself  a  benevolent  patron. 

It  is  just  for  me  to  protect  them, 

And  on  no  account  to  permit  any  to  injure  them. 

Then  the  hawk  said  again  to  the  king :  "Great  king !  Deign  to 
release  the  pigeon,  for  he  is  my  food !"  The  king  replied  to  the 
hawk:  "Long  ago  I  conceived  pity  towards  all  living  beings,  and 
I  owe  them  all  the  assistance  and  protection  I  can  give  them." 
The  hawk  asked  the  king:  "Why  did  you  conceive  long  ago  [pity 
towards  all  living  beings]  .P"  The  king  replied  to  him  by  pronounc- 
ing these  stanzas : 

When  I  uttered  the  vow  to  attain  Enlightenment, 

I  granted  my  protection 

To  all  living  beings  : 

All  shall  win  my  profound  compassion. 

The  hawk  replied  with  these  stanzas : 

If  your  words  are  true, 

Give  me  back  the  pigeon  quickly; 

For  if  you  make  me  die  of  hunger. 
You  show  no  more  compassion. 

When  the  king  had  heard  that,  he  reflected  thus :  "I  am  in  an 
extremely  difficult  position.  What  expedient  ought  I  to  employ.'"' 
Having  thus  thought,  he  replied  to  the  hawk  and  said :  "Then  you 
have  no  other  meat  to  sustain  your  life.'^"  The  hawk  replied  to  the 
king:  "I  can  sustain  my  life  only  with  fresh  flesh  and  with  blood." 
Then  the  king  said  to  himself:  "What  means  ought  I  to  employ .P" 
Then  he  pronounced  these  stanzas : 

Towards  all  creatures 

I  have  always  shown  profound  compassion. 

Blood  and  fresh  flesh 

Cannot  be  obtained  without  committing  murder. 

Having  thus  reflected,  he  found  that  it  would  be  very  easy  to 
give  his  own  flesh  to  feed  the  hawk.  And  he  pronounced  these 
stanzas  further: 

I  will  cut  a  piece  of  my  own  flesh 
And  give  it  to  the  hawk. 


318  "My  Heart,  Saviour  of  Alir  [Chap.  XVI. 

Even  if  it  becomes  my  duty  to  sacrifice  myself, 

It  is  incumbent  on  me  to  protect  the  life  of  this  frightened  being. 

When  the  great  king  had  pronounced  these  verses,  he  said  to  the 
hawk:  "Will  my  flesh  be  proper  food  for  you.?"  The  hawk  said: 
"Yes !  let  the  king  deign  to  cut  out  of  his  body  a  piece  of  flesh 
equal  [in  weight]  to  that  of  the  pigeon !  Let  him  give  it  to  me, 
and  I  will  eat  it."  When  the  great  king  had  heard  these  words, 
he  became  jo^^ful.  He  ordered  a  servant:  "Bring  quickly  a  pair  of 
scales  !  I  am  going  to  cut  a  piece  of  my  flesh  to  redeem  this  pigeon. 
It  is  a  fortunate  day  for  me  to-day !  And  why  is  it  a  fortunate 
day.''"  He  uttered  these  stanzas: 

This  flesh  is  the  seat  of  old  age  and  of  maladies. 
Of  numerous  perils  and  of  disgusting  substances. 

It  is  fitting  that  for  the  good  of  the  Law 
I  sacrifice  this  flesh,  vile  and  corrupt. 

In  the  meantime  the  king's  servant  had  executed  the  order,  and 
brought  a  pair  of  scales.  When  the  king  saw  the  pair  of  scales 
coming,  he  showed  no  feeling.  Immediately  he  bared  the  white 
flesh  of  his  thigh,  smooth  as  a  tala-leaf.  He  called  the  servant  and 
recited  these  stanzas  to  him : 

Take  a  sharp  knife,  and  cut  the  flesh  of  my  thigh ! 
Do  as  I  tell  you,  without  any  fear ! 

•  For  without  submitting  oneself  to  severe  austerities. 
One  obtains  not  Omniscience. 

For  Omniscience, — 

Is  there  aught  more  sublime  in  the  three  worlds  ? 

Never,  without  sufficient  cause. 

Does  one  obtain  Enlightenment. 

Hence  I  ought  to  act  with  unshakable  firmness. 

At  this  moment  the  servant's  eyes  were  filled  with  tears.  Joining 
the  palms  of  his  hands,  he  spoke  thus :  "Have  mercy  on  me !  I 
cannot  do  it !  I  have  always  received  good  things  from  the  king. 
How  could  I,  with  a  knife,  cut  a  piece  of  flesh  from  the  thigh  of 
the  king.?"  He  uttered  these  stanzas : 

The  king  is  the  saviour  and  protector  of  all. 

If  I  cut  the  flesh  of  the  king. 

Certainly,  I  myself,  with  the  knife. 

Should  be  overwhelmed,  and  should  fall  to  the  earth. 


Par.  212.]  Shibi  and  Bird  319 

Then  the  great  king  took  the  knife  in  his  own  hand  to  cut  tlie 
flesh  from  his  thigh.  The  ministers  and  the  great  dignitaries,  hx- 
menting  and  weeping,  made  remonstrances  to  him  without  being 
able  to  stop  him.  All  the  inhabitants  of  the  city  pressed  close  to 
him.  But  he  heard  them  not,  and  cut  the  flesh  from  his  thigh.  Those 
who  were  near  him,  turned  their  eyes  away  and  dared  not  look. 
The  Brahmans  turned  their  eyes  away  and  dared  not  look.  The 
women  of  the  palace  uttered  cries  and  wept.  The  deities,  the 
dragons,  the  demons,  the  heavenly  minstrels,  the  spirits,  the  fairies, 
and  the  great  serpents  said  to  each  other  throughout  space:  "It 
is  not  probable  that  the  like  of  this  deed  has  ever  been  done 
before."  The  king  had  a  body  that  was  feeble  and  tender.  Born  and 
reared  at  the  palace,  he  had  never  been  able  to  endure  any  pain. 
Now  his  body  was  tortured  with  pains,  and  he  sufl'ered  intensely. 
But  he  exhorted  himself,  and  pronounced  these  stanzas : 

O  my  Heart,  preserve  thy  firmness 
Against  this  slight  pain  ! 

Why  art  thou  cast  down.^ 

Only  see  how  the  whole  universe 

Is  entangled  in  hundreds  and  thousands  of  evils ! 
Living  beings  are  deprived  of  refuge  and  assistance; 

They  have  no  shelter  and  protection; 
They  live  in  utter  dependence. 

Thou  alone,  O  my  Heart, 

Art  called  to  be  the  Saviour  of  all! 

Art  thou  not  ashamed  of  thyself 
To  yield  thus  to  pain  ? 

Then  Indra  reflected  thus :  "Will  the  great  king  preserve  his 
constancy  in  the  midst  of  the  greatest  sufferings?"  And  desiring 
to  put  him  to  the  test,  he  said:  "You  have  just  endured  sufferings 
difficult  to  endure.  Why  do  you  not  stop  torturing  yourself.''  You 
have  suffered  enough.  Leave  off,  and  release  the  pigeon!"  The 
Future  Buddha  smiled  feebl}^,  and  replied  to  him:  "Never  will 
sufferings  make  me  break  my  word.  Even  if  I  am  destined  to  suffer 
yet  more,  I  will  not  flinch.  These  insignificant  sufferings  cannot  be 
compared  with  the  sufferings  of  hell.  Therefore  it  is  incumbent 
upon  me  that  I  lift  up  my  thought,  and  that  even  in  the  midst  of 


320  "M«/  Heart,  Saviour  of  All!"  [Chap.  XVI. 

these  sufferings  I  increase  my  compassion    [for  living  beings]." 
When  he  had  made  this  reflection,  he  pronounced  these  stanzas  : 

I  suffer  now  from  my  bodily  wound. 
But  let  not  my  heart  be  cast  down! 

Let  it  know  the  extent  to  which  the  irresolute  and  the  heedless 
Endure  sufferings  in  hell, — 

Tortures  which  never  cease, — 
Eternal  and  unending. 

Who  would  wish  to  endure  them  ? 

Because  I  am  filled  with  compassion  for  living  beings, 

I  must  make  haste 

To  attain  Enlightenment  quickly. 

All  those  who  suffer  from  these  miseries, — 

Them  will  I  save,  and  for  them  will  I  procure  Deliverance. 

Then  Indra  made  this  further  reflection :  "What  the  great  king 
has  just  done,  is  not  yet  sufficiently  painful.  Will  he  preserve  his 
constancy  if  I  cause  him  to  increase  his  sufferings.''  I  will  put  him 
to  the  test !"  Having  made  this  reflection,  he  preserved  silence  and 
left  off  speaking. 

In  the  meantime  the  great  king  had  taken  the  piece  of  flesh 
which  he  had  cut,  and  had  placed  it  on  one  pan  of  the  scales ;  he 
placed  the  pigeon  on  the  other  pan.  It  so  happened  that  the 
pigeon  made  the  scales  tip.  Then  the  king  cut  the  two  pi  and 
placed  this  flesh  in  the  scales.  But  it  was  still  lighter  than  the 
pigeon.  At  this  the  great  king  was  much  surprised,  and  failed  to 
understand  what  was  the  cause.  Immediately  he  arose  to  place 
himself  in  the  scales. 

At  this  moment  the  hawk  asked  him:  "Why  do  you  fidget.?  Are 
you  beginning  to  have  regrets.?"  The  great  king  replied  to  him: 
"I  regret  nothing.  I  wish  to  place  myself  whole  and  entire  in  the 
scales  to  save  this  pigeon."  When  the  great  king  was  on  the  point 
of  ascending  the  scales,  his  face  remained  calm.  The  servants  and 
the  assistants  dared  look  no  more;  all  the  members  of  his  entour- 
age turned  their  eyes  away. 

At  this  moment  the  king  said :  "Look  freely !"  He  cut  off  all  of 
his  flesh.  There  remained  no  more  anything  but  his  bones  and  his 
joints.  He  was  like  a  statue,  which,  when  exposed  to  the  rain, 
becomes  dismembered  and  difficult  to  recognize. 


Par.  212.]  Shibi  and  Bird  321 

Then  cried  aloud  the  great  king  as  follows : 

"If  I  SACRIFICE  MY  BODY,  IT  IS  NOT  TO  OBTAIN  TREASUUES,  NOR 
FOR  PLEASURE,  NOR  FOR  LOVE  OF  MY  WIFE  AND  MY  CHILDREN  AND 
MY  KINSFOLK.  WhAT  I  COVET  IS  ENLIGHTENMENT,  THAT  THEREBY 
I   MAY   BE   ABLE    TO    PROCURE    SALVATION    FOR   ALL   LIVING    BEINGS  !" 

Then  he  pronounced  these  stanzas : 

Deities  and  spirits,  heavenly  musicians  and  ogres, 
Dragons  and  demons, — all  classes  of  living  beings, 

Seeing  me  in  this  state, 

Will  be  incited  to  imitate  my  constancy. 

Because  I  covet  Supreme  Enlightenment, 
I  make  my  body  suffer,  and  I  wound  it. 

He  that  would  win  Enlightenment, 

Must  prove  himself  possessed  of  compassion  unshakable. 

If  one  does  not  possess  constancy  that  is  proof  against  everything. 
One  should  renounce  the  thought  of  winning  Enlightenment. 

At  the  instant  when  the  great  king,  sacrificing  his  body,  as- 
cended the  scales,  the  great  earth  trembled  six  times,  like  a  blade 
of  grass  or  a  leaf,  agitated  in  all  the  directions.  In  the  sky,  the 
deities  expressed  their  wonderment  at  this  extraordinary  spectacle, 
and  cried  out :  "Bravo !  bravo !  Thou  dost  deserve  to  be  called 
zealous  and  of  resolution  unshakable." 

And  the  great  king  uttered  these  stanzas  : 

To  save  the  life  of  this  living  being, 
I  have  cut  my  flesh  to  pieces. 

I  have  acted  from  a  heart  that  is  sincere  and  full  of  compassion. 
With  a  firm  and  unshakable  resolution. 

The  whole  company  of  the  deities 
Is  filled  with  wonderment  thereat. 

At  this  moment  the  hawk  expressed  his  wonderment  at  the 
sight  of  this  extraordinary  act :  "His  resolution  is  firm  and  sin- 
cere ;  he  will  soon  become  a  Buddha ;  all  living  beings  will  put  their 
confidence  in  him."  Then  Indra  showed  himself  to  the  king  under 
his  true  form,  and  told  Vishva-karman  to  resume  his  true  form 
also.  And  he  added :  "Let  us  pay  him  our  respects  !  For  this  Future 
Buddha  is  imbued  with  resolution  firm  and  unshakable,  like  Mount 
Sumeru,  which  lies  in  mid-ocean  without  ever  being  shaken.  Such 
is  the  heart  of  this  Future  Buddha."  Then  he  added  these  stanzas : 


322  "My  Heart,  Saviour  of  All!"  [Chap.  XVI. 

Let  us  pay  our  respects  to  this  valiant  and  resolute  man! 
Let  us  Hft  up  our  voices  and  spread  his  praises  abroad ! 
Let  all  that  are  harassed  with  cares  seek  shelter  with  him ! 
Let  them  unite  closely  with  him  whose  conduct  is  unshakable ! 

He  has  planted  in  the  ground  of  Compassion 

The  tree  of  Supreme  Enlightenment. 

His  shoots  begin  to  sprout, 

And  prudent  men  will  seek  a  shelter  under  him. 

Vishva-karman  then  addressed  himself  to  Indra  and  said :  "The 
great  king  has  shown  his  compassion  foi-  all  living  beings.  His 
body  should  be  restored  as  it  was  before.  May  all  living  beings  be 
able  to  seek  after  Enlightenment  without  faltering  [as  the  king  has 
done]  !"  Then  Indra  asked  the  king :  "Had  you  no  regret  over 
sacrificing  yourself  for  a  pigeon.?"  The  king  replied  to  him  with 
these  stanzas : 

This  body  is  destined  to  perish ; 

It  is  like  a  piece  of  wood,  or  a  rock: 

It  shall  be  thrown  to  the  birds  and  to  the  beasts  of  prey ; 

It  shall  be  burned,  or  it  shall  rot  in  the  earth. 

If,  then,  by  means  of  this  worthless  body, 

I  can  obtain  great  advantage, 

I  have  only  to  rej  oice  over  it ; 

It  would  not  befit  me  to  sorrow  over  it. 

Where,  then,  is  the  prudent  man. 
Who  would  give  this  body,  exposed  to  all  dangers. 
In  exchange  for  the  Law,  stable  and  firm. 
Without  rejoicing? 

Indra  said  to  the  king:  "Such  words  are  difficult  to  believe. 
Never  has  an  act  equal  to  it  been  seen.  Who  could  give  credence 
to  it.?"  The  great  king  replied:  "I  know  myself.  Were  there  in  the 
world  a  great  sage  capable  of  fathoming  my  heart,  he  would  see 
that  it  is  pure  and  without  duplicity."  Indra  replied:  "You  have 
spoken  the  truth."  At  this  moment  the  great  king  made  this 
declaration:  "If  I  have  no  regret  [for  having  done  what  I  have 
just  done],  may  my  body  become  once  more  as  it  was  before!" 
And  the  king  surveyed  his  mutilated  body  and  uttered  these 
stanzas : 

When  I  mutilated  my  body, 
I  was  free  from  sorrow  and  joy, 
From  anger  and  grief ; 
I  experienced  no  sadness. 


Par.  212.]  Shibi  and  Bird  323 

If  this  be  true. 

May  my  body  be  restored  as  it  was  before. 

And  may  I  soon  attain  Enlightenment, 

That  I  may  bring  salvation  to  all  living  beings! 

When  the  great  king  had  pronounced  these  stanzas,  his  muti- 
lated body  was  transformed,  and  became  as  it  was  before.  Here 
follow  the  stanzas : 

The  mountains,  and  the  great  earth  as  well, 

Were  all  shaken ; 

The  trees  and  the  ocean 

Began  to  stir,  and  lost  their  calm. 

Like  a  timorous  man 

Who  loses  his  confidence  in  battle. 

The  deities  sang  with  joy. 

And  from  the  sky  fell  a  rain  of  fragrant  flowers. 

Bells  and  drums  were  heard. 

Mingling  their  sounds  together. 

The  deities  expressed  their  joy. 
And  all  sang  together. 

All  living  beings  were  affected ; 
The  ocean  itself  lifted  up  its  voice; 
From  heaven  fell  fragrant  dust. 
Covering  all  the  roads. 

The  sky  was  full  of  flowers 

Which  fell,  some  slowly,  others  quickly. 

The  celestial  nymphs,  assembled  in  heaven^ 
Covered  the  earth  with  flowers. 

Garments  of  all  colors. 

Adorned  with  gold  and  precious  stones. 

Fell  in  a  rain  from  heaven, 

And  caskets  too,  filled  with  heavenly  robes. 

Resounding  as  they  clashed  together. 

In  everybody's  dwelling 

Appeared  spontaneously  urns  filled  with  precious  stones. 

Giving  out,  without  a  touch,  sounds 

Like  the  music  of  the  heavenly  musicians. 

No  cloud  covered  the  heavens ; 

The  four  directions  shone  resplendent. 

A  gentle  wind  exhaled  perfumes; 
The  streams  flowed  clear  and  noiseless. 


324  "Here  Is  Your  Eye!  Take  It!"  [Chap.  XVI. 

The  demons,  ardently  desirous  to  obtain  the  Law, 

Once  more  redoubled  zeal: 

"Soon  he  will  attain  Enlightenment/' — 

Thus  they  sang  in  praise  of  him. 

All  the  heavenly  musicians 

Sang  and  made  their  music  heard; 

Their  notes  harmonious  were  sometimes  soft,  sometimes  low. 

And  thus  they  sang  the  praises  of  the  king: 

"Soon  he  will  obtain  the  condition  of  a  Buddha; 
"He  will  cross  the  ocean  of  his  vow; 
"Right  quickly  will  he  reach  the  place  auspicious: 
"When  he  shall  attain  the  object  of  his  desire, 
"He  will  remember  us,  to  win  Salvation  for  us." 

Then    Indra    and    Vishva-karman   paid   their    respects    to    the 
Future  Buddha,  and  returned  in  their  heavenly  mansions. 


C.  ON  THE  SACRIFICE  OF  THE  EYES 
"Here  is  your  eye!  take  it!" 

213.  KING  SIVI  AND  THE  BLIND  BEGGAR 

"Should  any  man  name  my  eyes,  I  will  pluck  them  out  and  give 

them  to  him!" 
Synopsis  of  Jataka  499:  iv.  401-412. 

King  Sivi,  who  is  already  noted  for  his  generosity,  one  day  makes 
a  vow  that  should  any  one  beg  of  him,  not  something  outside  of 
him,  but  part  of  his  very  self,  whether  heart,  flesh,  blood,  or  eyes, 
he  will  give  it  to  him. 

"Should  any  man  name  the  flesh  of  my  heart,  I  will  smite  my 
breast  with  a  spear,  and  like  as  if  I  were  pulling  up  out  of  the 
clear  water  a  lily,  stalk  and  all,  so  will  I  draw  forth  my  heart, 
dripping  drops  of  blood,  and  give  it  to  him.  Should  he  name  the 
flesh  of  my  body,  like  as  if  I  were  graving  with  a  graving  tool, 
so  I  will  remove  the  flesh  of  my  body  and  give  it  to  him.  Should 
he  name  my  blood,  I  will  give  him  my  blood,  cither  dropping  it 
into  his  mouth,  or  filling  therewith  a  bowl  held  underneath.  Should 
he  say :  'My  household  work  is  at  a  standstill ;  do  the  work  of  a 


Par.  214.]  SubM  of  the  Mango  Grove  325 

slave  in  my  house !'  I  will  lay  aside  my  royal  garments,  stand  out- 
side, and  proclaiming  myself  a  slave,  do  the  work  of  a  slave. 
Should  any  man  name  my  eyes,  like  as  if  I  were  removing  the  meat 
of  a  date-palm,  so  I  will  pluck  out  my  eyes  and  give  them  to  him." 

Whatever  human  gift  there  be  that  yet  I  have  not  given, 
Though  one  should  ask  my  very  eyes,  I'll  give  them  unafraid. 

Sakka,  king  of  the  gods,  hears  his  vow,  disguises  himself  as  a 
blind  beggar,  and  asks  him  for  one  of  his  eyes.  Sivi  forthwith  gives 
him  both. 

"Dearer  to  me  than  this  eye  is  the  Eye  of  Omniscience!" 

Afterwards,  becoming  depressed,  he  longs  for  death.  Sakka  tells 
him  to  make  an  Act  of  Truth  with  reference  to  his  gift,  assuring 
him  that  if  he  will  do  so,  his  eyes  will  be  restored.  Sivi  thereupon 
makes  the  following  Act  of  Truth:  "Whatsoever  sort  or  kind  of 
beggar  comes  to  me,  is  dear  to  my  heart.  If  this  be  true,  let  one 
of  my  eyes  be  restored."  Immediately  one  of  his  eyes  is  restored. 
To  restore  the  other  eye,  he  recites  the  following:  "A  Brahman 
came  to  me  and  asked  me  for  one  of  my  eyes ;  unto  him  gave  I  two. 
Great  joy  and  delight  filled  me.  If  this  be  true,  let  my  other  eye  be 
restored."  Immediately  his  other  eye  is  restored. 


214.  SUBHA  OF  JIVAKA'S  MANGO  GROVE 
"Here  is  your  eye!  take  it!" 

A.  Prose  version. 
Theri-gatha  Commentary  No.  71. 

In  the  Division  of  Thirty  Stanzas  of  the  Book  of  the  Stanzas  of 
the  Nuns,  the  stanzas  beginning  with  the  words  To  Jlvaka's 
charming  Mango  Grove  are  the  stanzas  of  the  nun  Subha  of 
Jivaka's  Mango  Grove. 

She  also,  having  made  her  Earnest  Wish  under  previous 
Buddhas,  developed  Capacity  for  Sainthood  and  accumulated 
Merit  in  this  state  of  existence  and  in  that,  and  in  due  course 
having  stimulated  the  Roots  of  Merit,  having  perfected  the  Condi- 
tions of  Deliverance,  with  Knowledge  fully  ripe,  was  reborn  in  the 


326  "Here  Is  Your  Eye!  Take  It!"  [Chap.  XVI. 

dispensation  of  this  present  Buddha  at  Rajagaha  in  the  house- 
hold of  a  wealthy  Brahman. 

Subha,  or  Beauty,  was  her  name.  Endowed  with  beauty,  they 
say,  were  the  members  of  her  bod3\  Therefore,  appropriately 
enough,  she  was  given  the  name  Subha,  or  Beauty. 

When  the  Teacher  entered  Rajagaha,  she  received  the  gift  of 
faith  and  became  a  lay  disciple.  Later  on,  terrified  by  the  Round 
of  Existences,  seeing  in  the  Pleasures  of  Sense  danger,  perceiving 
in  Renunciation  of  the  Pleasures  of  Sense  security,  she  retired  from 
the  world  and  became  a  nun  under  Maha  Pajapati  Gotami,  and 
performing  the  business  of  Insight,  in  but  a  few  days  became 
established  in  the  Fruit  of  the  Third  Path. 

Now  one  day  a  certain  resident  of  Rajagaha,  an  unprincipled 
fellow,  young,  in  the  prime  of  youth,  saw  her  going  to  Jivaka's 
Mango  Grove  for  her  noonday  siesta.  Seeing  her,  he  fell  in  love  with 
her,  and  barring  the  way,  invited  her  to  enjoy  the  pleasures  of 
sense.  She  preached  the  Doctrine  to  him,  in  divers  ways  making 
known  the  folly  of  the  pleasures  of  sense,  and  her  own  determina- 
tion to  renounce  the  same.  But  even  after  hearing  her  discourse  on 
the  Doctrine,  he  would  not  leave  her,  but  continued  to  importune 
her. 

The  nun,  seeing  that  he  paid  no  attention  to  what  she  said,  and 
observing  that  he  was  fascinated  with  her  eye,  said :  "Here  is  your 
eye !  take  it !"  So  saying,  she  plucked  out  one  of  her  own  eyes  and 
handed  it  to  him.  Thereat  that  man  was  affrighted  and  terrified; 
for  that  nun  his  passion  abated.  Begging  her  to  pardon  him,  he 
went  his  way.  The  nun  went  to  the  Teacher.  The  moment  she 
looked  upon  him,  her  eye  was  restored  to  its  former  state.  Thereat, 
as  she  stood  there,  her  whole  body  was  suffused  with  Joy  in  the 
Buddha. 

The  Teacher,  knowing  the  course  of  her  thoughts,  preached  the 
Doctrine  to  her;  and  that  she  might  attain  the  Highest  Path, 
assigned  to  her  a  Subject  of  Meditation.  Suppressing  Joy,  she 
immediately  developed  Insight  and  attained  Sainthood  together 
witli  the  Analytical  Powers.  And  having  attained  Sainthood,  she 
dwelt  in  the  Bliss  of  the  Fruit  thereof,  in  the  Bliss  of  Nibbana. 
And  surveying  her  own  Attainment,  by  way  of  Solemn  Utterance, 
she  recited  the  following  stanzas,  previously  uttered  by  her  in  con- 
versation with  that  unprincipled  fellow : 


Par.  214.]  Subhd  of  the  Mango  Grove  327 

B.  Poetical  version. 
Theri-gatha  366-399. 

366.  To  Jivaka's  charming  Mango  Grove  went  the  nun  Subha. 
An  unprincipled  fellow  barred  the  way.  To  him  spoke  Subha: 

Subha : 

367.  "What  wrong  have  I  done  thee  that  thou  standest  barring  me  the 

way  .f* 
For,  brother,  it  is  not  proper  for  a  man  to  touch  a  religious. 

368.  "Following  the  revered  religion  of  my  Teacher, 

Following  the  training  proclaimed  by  the  Happy  One, 
I  am  in  the  Way  of  Salvation,  I  am  free  from  lust. 
Why  dost  thou  stand  barring  me  the  way  .f* 

369.  "Stained  are  thy  thoughts;  I  am  free  from  stain. 

Passionate  art  thou ;  I  am  free  from  passion,  free  from  lust. 

My  heart  is  wholly  free ! 

Why  dost  thou  stand  barring  me  the  way?" 

Libertine: 

370.  "Thou  art  young;  thou  art  not  bad-looking. 

What  shalt  thou  gain  by  the  religious  life? 

Put  off  the  yellow  robe ! 

Come !  let  us  take  our  pleasure  in  the  flowering  wood. 

371.  "Altogether  sweet  breathe  the  trees. 

Swelling  with  the  pollen  of  flowers. 

Early  spring's  the  time  for  pleasure ! 

Come !  let  us  take  our  pleasure  in  the  flowering  wood. 

372.  "Flowering  to  their  very  tips,  the  trees 

Roar  away,  swayed  by  the  winds. 

What  pleasure  shalt  thou  gain 

If  by  thyself  alone  thou  shalt  plunge  into  the  wood? 

373.  "The  great  wood  is  a  solitude,  a  place  of  horrors. 

Haunted  by  troops  of  beasts  of  prey. 
Heaving  with  the  dust  of  rutting  elephants. 
W^ilt  thou  go  thither  without  a  companion  ? 

374.  "A  very  golden  image,  dost  thou  go  about; 

A  very  celestial  nymph,  in  the  garden  Cittaratha; 
With  soft,  beautiful  garments  of  Benares  cloth 
Art  thou  resplendent,  O  peerless  one ! 

375.  "With  joy  would  I  submit  to  thy  will 

If  thou  wilt  reside  in  the  heart  of  the  forest. 

For  no  living  being  is  dearer  to  me  than  art  thou, 

O  thou  with  the  languid  eyes  of  a  sylph. 


328  "Here  Is  Your  Eye!  Take  It!"  [Chap.  XVI. 

376.  "If  thou  wilt  do  as  I  ask,  thou  shalt  be  happy. 

Come,  adopt  the  house-life. 

Thou  shalt  dwell  in  mansions  and  places  secure; 

Women  shall  wait  upon  thee. 

377.  "Put  on  soft  garments  of  Benares  cloth, 

Deck  thyself  with  all  manner  of  garlands. 

Of  gold  and  gems  and  pearls 

Will  I  make  for  thee  ornaments  many  and  various. 

378.  "Thy  couch  is  new,  spread  with  cotton  mattresses 

And  fleec}^  woollen  blankets,  resplendent 
With  coverlets  washed  clean  of  dirt, 
Of  great  price,  adorned  with  sandalwood. 
Of  fragrant  perfume.  Mount  thereon ! 

379.  "And,  like  a  lotus  flower  uplifted  from  the  water. 

Possessed  by  a  demon,  [enjoyed  by  none  other,] 

So  thou,  abiding  chaste,  thy  own  members  unenjoyed, 

Shalt  go  to  old  age." 

Subha : 

380.  "What  meaning  for  thee  has  this  body. 

Full  of  corruption,  augmenting  the  burning-ground. 

Whose  very  nature  is  dissolution. 

That  seeing  it  thou  dost  gaze  distraught?" 

Libertine : 

381.  "Like  the  eyes  of  a  deer  are  thine  eyes. 

Like  the  eyes  of  a  sylph  in  the  heart  of  the  mountains ; 
Through  gazing  at  thine  eyes 
The  more  doth  my  passion  increase. 

382.  "O  thou  that  dost  resemble  the  crown  of  a  lotus ! 

O  thou  spotless  one !  O  thou  whose  face  is  like  gold ! 

Through  gazing  at  thine  eyes 

The  more  doth  my  passion  increase. 

383.  "However  far  away  thou  be,  I  shall  remember  thee, 

O  tliou  of  the  long  eyelashes !  O  thou  of  unblemished  mien ! 
For  no  eyes  are  dearer  to  me  than  are  thine  eyes, 
O  thou  with  the  languid  eyes  of  a  sylj^h !" 

Subha: 

384.  "Tliou  dost  seek  to  walk  where  no  path  is. 

Thou  dost  seek  a  toy  moon, 

Thou  dost  seek  to  leap  over  Meru, 

When  thou  dost  ask  in  marriage  one  that  hath  heard  the  Buddha. 


Par.  214.]  SubM  of  the  Mango  Grove  329 

385.  "For  neither  in  the  world  of  men  nor  in  the  Worlds  of  Gods 

Liveth  any  man  for  whom  I  lust,  let  be  now  who  might  be; 

I  do  not  even  know  what  lust  is  like, 

But  b}^  the  Path  lust  with  its  roots  hath  been  destroyed. 

386.  "For  me  lust  is  like  a  poison-bowl,  once  highly  prized, 

Consigned  to  the  fire-pit  for  good  and  all ; 
I  do  not  even  understand  what  lust  is  like, 
But  by  the  Path  lust  with  its  roots  hath  been  destroyed. 

387.  "If  there  be  a  woman  that  hath  not  well  considered. 

If  there  be  a  woman  whose  teacher  is  under  instruction, 

Such  a  woman  do  thou  tempt. 

In  tempting  her  that  knoweth,  thou  dost  but  vex  thyself. 

388.  "For  I  am  ever  mindful,  both  in  honor  and  in  dishonor, 

Both  in  pleasure  and  in  pain; 

I  know  that  all  existing  things  are  foul ; 

Therefore  cleaveth  my  heart  to  naught  soever. 

389.  "I  that  stand  here  am  a  disciple  of  the  Happy  One; 

In  the  Eightfold  Vehicle  of  the  Path  do  I  make  my  way; 
Drawn  out  are  the  arrows  of  the  Depravities; 
I  delight  to  dwell  in  solitude. 

390.  "For  what  I  see  is  a  gaudily  painted  doll, 

Newly  made,  fitted  with  little  sticks  and  rods. 
Fastened  together  with  cords  and  little  pins. 
Dancing  away  to  her  heart's  content. 

391.  "Remove  the  cords  and  pegs; 

Unloosen,  dismember,  scatter  the  parts ; 
Reduce  the  members  to  fragments. 
What !  wilt  thou  set  thy  heart  thereon  ? 

392.  "Precisely  so  do  these  wretched  bodies  of  ours  appear  to  me; 

Without  their  constituent  parts  they  exist  not; 
Without  the  constituent  parts  they  exist  not. 
What !  wilt  thou  set  thy  heart  thereon  ? 

393.  "Not  as  I  have  looked  upon  a  little  picture 

Plastered  on  a  wall  with  yellow  orpiment. 
Not  so  hast  thou  looked  upon  this  body ; 
Unprofitable  is  merely  human  judgment. 

394.  "Thou  dost  run  after  a  phantom,  as  it  were. 

Wrought  by  a  magician  before  thy  very  face. 

Or  after  a  tree  of  gold  that  appeareth  in  a  dream, 

O  thou  blind  man  ! 

Or  after  an  image  of  silver,  as  it  were, 

A  hollow  piece  of  nothing ! 

Wrought  by  a  magician  in  the  crowd. 


330  "Here  Is  Your  Eye!  Take  It!"  [Chap.  XVI. 

395.  "Like  a  ball  lodged  in  the  hollow  of  a  tree, 

A  mere  bubble,  floating  in  mucus,  tears  and  all. 
Is  the  eye. 

Therein  breed  maggots  of  all  sorts  and  kinds, — 
As  many  kinds  as  there  are  kinds  of  eyes, — 
In  solid  masses." 

396.  Straightway  that  maiden  so  fair  to  see. 
With  never  a  bond,  never  a  care, 

Tore  out  her  eye  and  gave  it  to  that  man: 
"Here  is  thine  eye !  take  it !" 

397.  Straightway  his  passion  abated; 

Then  and  there  he  begged  her  to  pardon  him: 

"I  wish  thee  well,  O  maiden  chaste; 

Never  again  shall  happen  such  a  thing  as  this ! 

398.  "Thou  hast  shattered  me, — and  such  a  man  am  I ! 

I  have  clasped,  as  it  were,  a  blazing  fire ! 

I  have  grasped,  as  it  were,  a  poisonous  serpent ! 

But  I  wish  thee  well !  do  thou  pardon  me !" 

399.  Then,  free,  that  nun  went  to  the  Buddha, 
To  the  All-glorious  One; 

She  looked  upon  him,  and  her  eye. 
The  product  of  surpassing  merit. 
Was  restored  to  its  former  state. 


215.  THE  PRINCE-ASCETIC 

"Behold  this,  such  as  it  is!  take  it,  if  you  like!" 
Kathasaritsagara  vi.  28.  18-25. 

To  illustrate :  In  times  past  there  lived  a  prince  free  from  attach- 
ment for  the  things  of  earth.  Youthful  though  he  was,  well-liking 
though  he  was,  he  adopted  the  life  of  a  wandering  ascetic. 

One  day  this  mendicant  entered  the  house  of  a  certain  merchant. 
The  young  wife  of  the  merchant,  her  eyes  as  long  as  the  leaves 
of  a  lotus,  saw  him. 

Her  heart  captivated  by  the  beauty  of  his  eyes,  she  addressed 
him :  "How  came  such  a  man  as  you  to  take  upon  yourself  this 
austere  vow.'' 

"Happy  that  woman  who  is  gazed  upon  by  these  eyes  of  yours  !" 
Thus  addressed  by  that  woman,  that  mendicant  tore  out  one  eye, 


Par.  216.]  Prince  Kundla  331 

And  having  placed  it  in  his  hand,  said:  "Mother,  behold  this, 
such  as  it  is !  Take  this  loathsome  gore  and  flesh,  if  you  like ! 

"And  the  second  is  exactly  like  the  first.  Tell  me,  what  is  there 
delightful  about  these  two  eyes.?"  Thus  addressed  by  him,  seeing 
that,  that  merchant's  wife  became  depressed 

And  said :  "Alas !  alas !  An  evil  deed  have  I  wrought,  wretched 
woman  that  I  am,  in  that  I  have  caused  you  to  tear  out  your 
eyes !" 

Hearing  this,  the  mendicant  said:  "Woman,  be  not  distressed, 
for  you  have  done  me  a  service  ...  by  causing  me  to  uproot  my 
eyes,  you  have  increased  my  self-mortification." 

Thus  spoke  that  self-controlled  mendicant  to  that  merchant's 
wife  bent  low  before  him ;  indifferent  to  his  own  body,  well-liking 
though  it  was,  he  went  to  perfection. 


216.  PRINCE  KUNALA 

"Plucked  out,  the  eye  of  flesh;  hut  gained,  the  Eye  of  Knowledge!" 

Divyavadana  406. 

KuNALA,  son  of  King  A9oka,  is  famed  throughout  India  for  the 
beauty  of  his  eyes.  His  stepmother  falls  in  love  with  him,  makes 
advances  to  him,  and  is  repulsed.  In  revenge  she  forges  an  order 
in  the  name  of  the  king,  commanding  that  his  eyes  be  put  out.  The 
order  is  carried  out.  Kunala  exclaims:  "Plucked  out,  the  eye  of 
flesh;  but  gained,  the  Eye  of  Knowledge!" 

Subsequently  the  king  discovers  the  crime,  fixes  the  guilt  on  his 
queen-consort,  and  in  the  presence  of  Kunala,  threatens  her  with 
the  direst  punishments.  Kunala  begs  his  father  not  to  harm  the 
queen,  extols  the  virtues  of  kindness,  compassion,  and  forebear- 
ance,  declares  that  in  spite  of  the  cruel  suffering  he  has  endured, 
pain  has  not  stained  him  nor  anger  heated  him,  and  concludes  with 
the  following  Act  of  Truth :  "If  it  be  true  that  I  have  ever  been 
kindly  disposed  to  my  mother,  if  it  be  true  that  I  myself  tore  out 
my  eyes,  then  may  my  eyes  be  restored !"  Straightway  his  eyes  are 
restored,  yet  more  beautiful  even  than  before. 


332  "Here  Is  Your  Eye!  Take  It!"  [Chap.  XVI. 

217.  ST.  BRIGID  OF  KILDARE 

Dearer  the  Eye  of  the  Soul  than  the  eye  of  the  body 
*'Lo,  here  for  thee  is  thy  beautiful  eye!" 

The  Sacrifice  of  an  Eye  appears  for  the  first  time  in  the  Legends  of 
St.  Brigid  in  the  fifteenth  century. 

A.  Medieval  Latin  versions. 
Acta  Sanctorum,  4.  Feb.  1, 119  a,  121  6. 

The  principal  Medieval  Latin  versions  are  as  follows: 

St.  Brigid,  God-fearing  virgin,  seeing  that  the  time  of  her  be- 
trothal was  at  hand,  asked  the  Lord  to  send  some  deformity  upon 
her,  and  that  at  any  rate  in  this  manner  she  might  escape  the 
importunity  of  her  suitors.  Then  one  of  her  eyes  burst  and  dis- 
solved in  her  head. 

Not  long  afterwards  came  a  certain  nobleman  to  Dubthach  to 
ask  for  his  daughter  in  marriage,  and  this  pleased  her  father  and 
brothers.  But  Brigid  refused  him.  And  when  they  sternly  insisted 
that  she  should  marry  the  man,  she  asked  the  Lord  to  inflict  some 
deformity  on  her  body,  so  that  men  would  cease  to  seek  after  her. 
Then  one  of  her  eyes  burst  and  dissolved  in  her  head.  She,  how- 
ever, chose  rather  to  lose  the  eye  of  the  body  than  the  Eye  of  the 
Soul,  and  loved  beauty  of  soul  more  than  beauty  of  bod3%  But 
when  her  father  saw  this,  he  permitted  her  to  take  the  veil ;  and 
the  moment  she  took  the  veil,  her  eye  was  restored  and  she  was 
made  whole. 

B.  Middle  Irish  version. 

From  W.  Stokes,  Three  Middle-Irish  Homilies  64-65. 

In  the  Lebar  Brecc,  a  Middle  Irish  MS.  of  the  fifteenth  century,  the 
following  episode  appears  for  the  first  time: 

Shortly  after  that  came  a  certain  nobleman  unto  Dubtliach  to 
ask  for  his  daughter.  Dubthach  and  his  sons  were  willing,  but 
Brigid  refused.  Said  a  brother  of  her  brethren  named  Beccan  unto 
her:  "Idle  is  the  fair  eye  that  is  in  thy  head  not  to  be  on  a  pillow 
near  a  husband."  "The  Son  of  tlie  Virgin  knoweth,"  says  Brigid; 
"it  is  not  lively  for  us  if  it  brings  harm  upon  us."  Then  Brigid 


Par.  218.]  St.  Lucy  of  Syracuse  333 

put  her  finger  under  her  eye,  and  drew  it  out  of  her  head  so  that  it 
was  on  her  cheek ;  and  she  said :  "Lo,  here  for  thee  is  thy  beautiful 
eye,  O  Beccan !"  Then  Ms  eye  burst  forthwith.  When  Dubthach 
and  her  brethren  beheld  that,  they  promised  that  she  should  never 
be  told  to  go  unto  a  husband.  Then  she  put  her  palm  to  her  eye 
and  it  was  quite  whole  at  once.  But  Beccan's  eye  was  not  whole 
till  his  death. 


218.  ST.  LUCY  OF  SYRACUSE 

"Here  hast  thou  what  thou  hast  desired!  leave  me  in  peace!" 
From  Mrs.  Jameson's  Sacred  and  Legendary  Art  ii.  615-61T. 

In  the  older  legends  of  St.  Lucy  we  are  told  that  while  she  was  pray- 
ing at  the  tomb  of  St.  Agatha  for  the  restoration  of  her  mother's  health, 
St.  Agatha  appeared  to  her  in  a  vision  and  said  to  her:  "Well  art  thou 
called  Lucy,  who  art  indeed  a  light  and  a  mirror  to  the  faithful !  What 
dost  thou  ask  of  me  which  shall  not  be  granted  to  thine  own  faith  and 
sanctity.?  Behold!  thy  mother  is  from  this  hour  healed!"  St.  Lucy 
thereupon  resolved  to  adopt  the  religious  life,  and  sold  all  of  her  goods 
and  gave  to  the  poor.  When  the  youth  to  whom  she  was  betrothed 
saw  this,  he  was  enraged,  and  went  and  denounced  her  to  the  governor 
Pascasius  as  being  a  Christian.  Pascasius  ordered  her  to  be  brought 
before  him,  and  commanded  her  to  sacrifice  to  his  idols.  When  she 
refused,  he  ordered  her  to  be  taken  to  a  brothel  and  treated  as  a  harlot. 
But  when  the  governor's  men  tried  to  drag  her  away,  she  became 
rooted  to  the  spot,  and  neither  men  and  oxen  nor  magicians  and  en- 
chanters were  able  to  move  her  from  the  spot.  Then  Pascasius  ordered 
her  to  be  burnt  alive,  but  the  fire  would  not  touch  her.  Finally  one  of 
his  servants  pierced  her  throat  with  a  dagger. 

The  medieval  legend  is  as  follows: 

In  the  city  wherein  the  blessed  Lucy  dwelt,  there  dwelt  also  a 
youth  who,  having  once  beheld  her,  became  enamored  of  her 
beauty,  and  by  messages  and  promises  and  gifts,  he  ceased  not  to 
woo  her;  but  Lucy,  being  a  Christian  and  fearing  God,  resisted 
all  these  attacks  on  her  virtue.  Now  this  youth,  in  his  letters  and 
his  tender  speeches,  was  accustomed  to  protest  that  it  was  the 
brightness  of  her  eyes  which  inflamed  him,  and  that  it  was  for 
the  sake  of  those  beautiful  eyes  he  pursued  her,  leaving  her  no 
rest,  because  those  eyes  left  him  no  rest,  by  day  or  by  night. 
Lucy,  considering  these  things,  and  calling  to  mind  the  words 


334.  ''Here  Is  Your  Eye!  Take  It!"  [Chap.  XVI. 

of  Christ,  "If  thine  eye  offend  thee,  pluck  it  out,  and  cast  it  from 
thee,"  and  fearing  lest  her  eyes  should  be  the  cause  of  damnation 
to  the  young  man,  and  pei'haps  also  to  herself,  called  for  a  knife 
and  took  out  her  beautiful  eyes,  and  sent  them  to  her  lover  in  a 
dish,  with  these  words:  "Here  hast  thou  what  thou  hast  so  much 
desired;  and  for  the  rest,  I  beseech  thee,  leave  me  now  in  peace." 
Whereat  the  young  man,  being  utterly  astonished  and  full  of  grief 
and  remorse,  not  only  ceased  his  pursuit,  but  became  also  a  con- 
vert of  Christ,  and  lived  ever  afterwards  an  example  of  virtue  and 
chastity. 

But  God  would  not  suffer  that  the  blessed  Lucy,  having  given 
this  proof  of  her  courage  and  piety,  should  remain  blind :  for  one 
day,  as  she  knelt  in  prayer,  behold !  her  eyes  were  restored  to  her 
more  beautiful  than  before.  And  if  any  one  doubts  of  this  great 
miracle,  let  him  consult  the  writings  of  that  learned  and  praise- 
worthy man  Filippo  Bergomense,  and  also  of  that  famous  Spaniard 
Don  Juan  Maldonato,  where  they  will  find  it  all  set  down  as  I  have 
related.  And  this  is  the  reason  that  St.  Lucy  is  invoked  against 
blindness  and  all  diseases  of  the  eyes,  and  that  in  her  effigy  she  is 
represented  bearing  two  eyes  in  a  dish. 

219.  ST.  LUCY  OF  ALEXANDRIA 

And  seizing  her  spindle,  she  bit,  and  gouged  out  her  two  eyes. 
John  Moschus,  Spiritual  Meadow,  615  A.  D.  Patrologia  Graeca  87.  3.  2911-4. 

When  we  were  in  Alexandria,  the  lover  of  Christ  related  to  us  a 
story  to  the  following  effect: — A  certain  nun, — said  he, — used  to 
sit  in  her  own  house,  aloof  from  the  world,  solicitous  for  her  own 
soul,  constant  in  fastings  and  supplications  and  watchings,  gener- 
ous in  almsgiving.  But  the  Devil,  ever  at  enmity  with  mankind, 
intolerant  of  such  virtues,  stirred  up  the  dust  against  her.  For 
he  excited  in  a  certain  youth  a  satanic  longing  for  her.  Now  the 
youth  was  wont  to  wait  outside  the  house.  When,  therefore,  the 
nun  desired  to  go  out,  and  to  depart  from  her  own  house  to  the 
house  of  prayer  in  order  to  pray,  the  youth  would  not  permit  her, 
but  would  importune  and  annoy  her,  as  is  the  wont  of  the  amorous, 
so  that  finally  the  nun  was  forced  by  the  importunity  of  the  youth 
not  to  leave  her  own  house.  On  a  certain  day,  therefore,  the  nun 


Par.  220.]  King  and  Nun  335 

sent  her  maid-servant  to  the  youth,  saying:  "Come,  my  mistress 
wishes  you!"  So  the  youth  departed  to  her,  rejoicing  to  think 
that  he  had  attained  his  own  purpose.  Now  the  nun  was  sitting 
at  her  loom.  Accordingly,  she  said  to  the  youth:  "Be  seated."  And 
having  seated  him,  she  said  to  him:  "Tell  me  honestly,  good 
brother, — why  is  it  that  you  thus  annoy  me,  and  do  not  permit 
me  to  leave  my  house.?"  The  youth  replied,  saying:  "To  tell  you 
the  truth,  mistress, — I  am  deeply  in  love  with  you,  and  whenever 
I  see  you,  I  am  all  afire."  And  she  said  to  him :  "But  what  that  is 
beautiful  did  you  see  in  me,  that  you  have  such  an  affection  for 
me.?"  And  the  youth  said:  "Your  eyes!  for  it  is  even  they  that 
have  led  me  astray."  Now  when  the  nun  heard  that  it  was  her  eyes 
that  had  led  the  youth  astray,  she  seized  her  spindle,  and  bit,  and 
gouged  out  her  two  eyes.  And  when  the  youth  saw  this,  that  by 
reason  of  him  the  nun  had  gouged  out  her  two  eyes,  he  was  pricked 
to  the  heart,  and  departing  for  Sc^^thia,  became,  himself  also,  an 
excellent  monk. 

220.  KING   (RICHARD  OF  ENGLAND)   AND  NUN 

"Behold  the  eyes  that  thou  desirest!  take  them,  and  leave  me  in 
peace!" 

Lost,  the  eyes  of  the  flesh;  but  kept,  the  Eyes  of  the  Spirit. 

Jacques  de  Vitry,  Exemplum  57. 

I  HAVE  heard  a  story  about  a  certain  consecrated  virgin,  that  by 
reason  of  her  beauty,  a  certain  powerful  and  wealthy  prince,  in 
whose  land  a  monastery  had  been  founded,  fell  deeply  in  love  with 
her  at  first  sight ;  and  that,  unable  to  win  her,  either  b}"^  entreaties 
or  gifts,  he  sent  men  to  take  her  by  force  and  remove  her  from 
the  monastery.  But  she,  trembling  and  sorrowful,  inquired  of  the 
bystanders  why  he  seized  her  rather  than  some  other  inmate  of 
the  monastery.  They  replied  that  it  was  because  she  had  such 
beautiful  eyes.  "Yonder  ruler  beheld  them;  this  is  the  reason 
why  he  desires  to  obtain  thee."  When  she  heard  this,  she  rejoiced 
above  measure.  And  immediately  she  plucked  out  her  own  eyes 
and  said :  "Behold  the  eyes  that  he  desires !  Take  them  to  him,  and 
tell  him  to  leave  me  in  peace,  and  not  to  rob  me  of  my  soul !"  And 
thus  she  lost  the  eyes  of  the  flesh,  but  kept  the  Eyes  of  the  Spirit. 


336 


"Here  Is  Your  Eye!  Take  It!" 
TABLE  OF  PARALLELS 


[Chap.  XVI. 


213.  KING  SIVI  AND  THE 
BLIND  BEGGAR 

"Dearer  to  me  than  this  eye  is 
the  Eye  of  Omniscience !" 

By  Acts  of  Truth  both  of  his 
eyes  were  restored. 

214.  SUBHA  OF  JIVAKA'S 
MANGO-GROVE 


217.  ST.  BRIGID  OF  KIL- 
DARE 

Dearer  the  Eye  of  the  Soul  than 

the  eye  of  the  body. 
Then  one  of  her  eyes  burst.  The 

moment  she  took  the  veil,  her 

eye  was   restored  and  she  was 

made  whole. 


"Here  is  your  eye!  take  it!"  "Lo,  here  for  thee  is  thy  beautiful 


The  moment  she  looked  upon  the 
Buddha,  her  eye  was  restored. 


eye! 
Then  his  eye  burst.  She  put  her 
palm   to   her    eye,    and   it    was 
quite  whole  at  once.  But  his  eye 
was  not  whole  till  his  death. 


215.  PRINCE-ASCETIC 

"Behold  this,  such  as  it  is!  take 
this  loathsome  gore  and  flesh,  if 
you  like !" 

The  prince-ascetic  "went  to  per- 
fection." 


220.  KING  AND  NUN 

"Behold  the  eyes  that  thou  desir- 
est !  take  them,  and  leave  me  in 
peace !" 

Lost,  the  eyes  of  the  flesh;  but 
kept,  the  Eyes  of  the  Spirit. 


216.  PRINCE  KUNALA  218.  ST.  LUCY  OF  SYRACUSE 

"Plucked  out,  the  eye  of  flesh ;  but  "Here  hast  thou  what  thou  hast 
gained, the  Eye  of  Knowledge!"  desired!  leave  me  in  peace!" 

By  Acts  of  Truth  both  of  his  eyes  As  she  knelt  in  prayer,  her  eyes 
were   restored,   more    beautiful  were     restored    to     her,    more 

than  before.  beautiful  than  before. 


INDEX 


A  blessirifj  on  all  living  beings !  64. 
A  Buddlilst  Henny-Penny,  xx,  55. 
A  Buddhist  Tar-baby,  xix  f.,  41. 
Abatement  of  plagues,  i391. 
Abhidhanuna,  315. 

Abu  Sabir,  xxi. 

Ace,  losing  throw,  124,  199  f. 

Aciravati,  river,  106,  186,  193,  195. 

Acknowledgments,  xxiii. 

Act  of  Truth,  174  f.,  293,  313  f.,  321  ff., 
325,  331. 

Acta  Sanctorum,  332  ff. 

Adhere  to  Truth,  30. 

Admonitions,  riddling,  23  flp.,  163,  167  f. 

Adoption  of  mother,  169. 

Adoption  of  Religious  Life,  94,  98  f., 
102,  140  f.,  149  f.,  175,  300. 

Agatha,  St.,  333. 

Alexandria,  xxiii,  334. 

Alinacitta,  Noble-heart,  1  flF. 

Almsgiving,  141  ff.,  159,  165,  169  ff. 

Altered  letter,  xxi,  136. 

Ambrosia,  sought  by  snakes,  301. 

Ambrosia-shop  of  Buddha,  237. 

Amleth,  xxi. 

Analytical  Powers,  142,  241  f. 

Anamatagga,  see  Round  of  Existences. 

Ananda  and  Buddha,  182,  292  f. 

Anathapindika,  honors  Buddha,  30  f., 
289. 

Androclus  and  lion,  xix. 

Anger,  to  be  avoided,  77,  309. 

Anger-eating  ogre,  77. 

Aiiguttara  Commentary,  xxi,  xxiv; 
passages  translated:  (130-135,  Way- 
man)  138;  (190-192,  Nanda)  149; 
(193-195,  Kappina)  171;  (205-206, 
Khema)  176;  (213-215,  Patacara) 
94;  (217-218,  Nanda)  178;  (220- 
224,  Kundalakesa)  151;  (225-227, 
Kisa  Gotami)  92;  (241-249,  Visa- 
kha's  marriage)  158;  (249-255, 
Ghosaka)  128. 

Aiiguttara  Nikaya,  passage  trans- 
lated: (iv.  197-204)  193. 


Animal  kingdom,  285. 

Animals,  flee  with  hare,  r)3  ff.;  friend- 
liness for,  64  ff. ;  generosity  of,  2  ff., 
8  ff.,  12  ff.,  16  ff.,  53  ff.;  gratefulness 
of,  1  ff.,  6  ff. ;  outwit  hunter,  18  ff., 
53  ff.;  protect  child,  132;  reverence 
for  elders,  59  ff. 

Ankles,  ritual  grasping  of,  174. 

Anoja  and  Kappina,  171. 

Antelope,  woodpecker,  tortoise, 
hunter,  53. 

Arabian  Nights,  xxi. 

Arahatship,  see  Sainthood. 

Arnold,  Sir  E.,  xx. 

Asavas,  see  Contaminations. 

Ascension  to  heaven,  252. 

Ascetics,  7,  49,  66,  68  ff.,  89  f.,  105; 
Naked,  164  f.,  169;  wandering,  22, 
75,  77. 

Ashvaghosha,  Sutralamkara,  (63)  305; 
(64)  314. 

Asoka,  xxii. 

Astrologers,  4,  21  f.,  37  f.,  131,  152. 

Attainments,  bought  with  Kamma, 
233  ff. 

Avoid  vain  wrangling,  19,  75. 

Axe  in  mouth,  199. 

Barber  saved  by  another's  merit,  187  f. 

Beauty  is  but  skin-deep,  176,  178. 

Beckh,  H.,  xxviii. 

Beetle  and  elephant,  90. 

Begging,  offensiveness  of,  68  ff.,  73  f. 

Beginningless    Round    of    Existences, 

xxvi,  188  f.,  209  f. 
Behold  tlie  fruit  of  faith!  171,  186. 
Belle-of-the-land,  see  Nanda. 
Betrothal  and  marriage,  136  f.,  160  ff., 

208. 
Better   an   enemy   with  sense   than   a 

friend  without  it,  82,  84. 
Bhaddfi  Kundalakesa,  151. 
Bharahat  sculptures,  xix. 
Bibliographical  note,  xxviii. 
Big  Wayman,  138  ff. 


338 


Index 


Bimbisara,  king  of  Rajagaha,  and 
Pasenadi  Kosala,  160;  and  Queen 
Khema,  176  ff. 

Birds,  The,  73. 

Birth  by  roadside,  139. 

Biter  bit,  The,  16. 

Blackie,  servant,  79  f. 

Blessed  is  that  mother !  289. 

Blessings,  five,  296. 

Blind  man,  113. 

Blind  men  and  elephant,  75. 

Bliss,  of  knowledge,  218;  of  Nibbana, 
217  ff.;  of  Sovereignty,  218. 

Block  and  tackle,  152. 

Bloomfield,  M.,  xxiv;  Studies  in 
Honor  of,  xxi. 

Boar,  and  lion,  89,  297;  bites  magic 
gem,  50. 

Body  and  Blood,  sacrifice  of,  xxii, 
xxviii,  13,  289,  297  ff.,  305  ff.,  313, 
314  ff.,  324. 

Body,  constituent  parts  of,  202  ff.; 
meditation  on,  140,  237. 

Bolte-Polivka,  xix  ff. 

Bonds,  destruction  of,  5,  44. 

Bon-fire,  entrance  into,  227;  escape 
from,  225. 

Boon,  granted  by  Vishnu,  301. 

Borrowed  goods,  276. 

Bowl,  magic,  49  ff. 

Boy  and  mosquito,  82. 

Brahma  World,  68,  69,  103,  238. 

Brahmadatta,  king  of  Benares,  and 
Mallika,  king  of  Kosala,  45  ff.; 
DIghiti,  and  Dighavu,  20  ff.,  28  f. 

Bribe  breaks  the  unbroken,  133. 

Brigid,  St.  of  Kildare,  332  f. 

Buddha,  Gotama,  and  Ananda,  182; 
and  herdsman  Dhaniya,  197;  and 
sick  man,  183  ff.;  and  Vakkali,  182; 
apparition  of,  94;  birth,  xxv,  290; 
comforts  afflicted,  93  ff.,  96  f.,  104  ff., 
106  ff.,  183  ff. ;  cures  Nanda  of  love, 
146  ff. ;  date,  xxv ;  death,  182 ;  did 
he  ever  exist?  230  ff.;  Enlighten- 
ment, xxvi  f .,  265  ff.,  289  ff. ;  Good 
Herdsman,  264  ff.,  270  ff. ;  Great  Re- 
tirement, 290;  Great  Struggle,  xxvi, 
290;  greeted  by  Kisa  Gotami,  290; 
halo  of,  30,  174;  honored  by  Anatha- 
pindika,  30  f.,  289,  by  righteousness, 
182,  by  Visakha,  169  ff. ;  imitation  of, 


xxviii,  293  f .,  305  ff. ;  infancy  legends, 
xxv;  instructs  Little  Wayman,  141 
f.;  life,  xxv,  289;  majesty  of,  30  f.; 
meditation  on,  67,  186  f.;  merits  of, 
xxviii,  174  f.,  186  f.,  289  f.,  292  f., 
312,  321,  323;  receives  Kappina  and 
Anoja,  174  f.;  refuge  in,  180  f.,  198; 
relations  with  Devadatta,  6,  11,  15; 
restores  woman  to  sanity,  96;  Sacred 
Heart  of,  xxvii  f.,  289  f.,  293  ff.,  297 
ff.,  311  f.,  313,  314  ff.,  324;  Seven 
Jewels  of,  237  ff. ;  Seven  Shops  of, 
233  ff. ;  smile,  97 ;  Song  of  Triumph, 
291;  spiritual  sons  of,  28;  teachings 
of,  xxvi  f . ;  tempted  by  Evil  One, 
290  f.;  visits  Bhaddiya,  158  f.,  Ka- 
pila,  149,  Vesali,  292;  see  also 
Future  Buddha. 

Buddhaghosa,  Legends  of  the  Saints, 
xxi,  xxiv,  92  ff.,  128  ff. 

Builder  of  city,  231  f. 

Burning-glass  and  fire,  212. 

Calabash,  poisoned,  281. 
Candabhaga,    river,    crossed    on    dry 

foot,  174  f. 
Caravan-leaders,  two,  30  ff.,  121  ff. 
Caressing  moon  and  sun,  252. 
Carpenters,  1  ff.,  83. 
Catholic  Buddliism,  xxviii. 
Celestial  nymphs,  147  ff.,  150  f. 
Chandraprablia,    gives    own    body    to 

tigress,  314. 
Change,  of  form,  42,  44,  77  f.,  187,  298; 

of  sex,  314. 
Chariot,  202  f. 
Charm,    Vedabbha,   37.      See    Act   of 

Truth,  snake-charm,  wishing-tree. 
Chaucer,  Pardoner's  Tale,  xix. 
Chavannes,    E.,    Cinq    Cents    Contes, 

xixff.;  (15)  293. 
Child,    carried     off    by    hawk,    95  f.; 

drowned,    95  f . ;    protected    by    ani- 
mals, 132. 
Choice  of  maiden,  160  f. 
Circle,  210. 

Circuit,  rightwise,  sunwise,  24,  94. 
City  of  bones,  1 79. 
City  of  Rigliteousness,  232  ff. 
Clay  and  vessels,  211. 
Clean  rag  becomes  soiled,  142. 
Clementine  Recognitiones,  xx. 


Index 


339 


Coals,  pit  of,  275,  284. 
Commandments,    Ten,    109  ff.,    280  f., 

291.  flp. 
Conius,  Indian,  xxiii. 
Concentration,  142,  238  f .,  248  flF.,  263  f., 
■      265  ff. 
Condemned  criminal,  110. 
Consciousness,  infinity  of,  264. 
Contaminations   (Asavas),  destruction 

of,  148  f.,  233,  239,  256,  264,  268  f., 

287  f. 
Conversion  of  unbeliever,  126  f. 
Corpses,  heap  of,  225. 
Corrupt  fruit  from  a  good  tree,  51  ft'. 
Courses  of  Conduct,  four,  280  ft". 
Court-poets,  176. 
Courtezan,  130  f. 
Cows,  herds  of,  265  f. 
Craving,  xxvii,  221,  256,  291. 
Creeper  and  tree,  277. 
Cremated  14,000  times  !  104  ff. 
Cremation,  24,  39,  96,  104  ff. 
Criminal,  execution  of,  9  f .,  23  f.,  110, 

116  f.,  153  f. 
Crow  befriends  quail,  17  f. 
Cup,  poisoned,  281  f. 
Cupidity  is  the  root  of  ruin,  36,  39. 
Curds,  honey,  ghee,  jaggery,  282. 
Curly-hair,  see  Kundalakesa. 
Cycle  of  time,  length  of,  189. 

Dadhivahana,  king,  49. 

Darbha-grass,  301. 

Davids,  C.  A.  F.  Rhys,  xxiii. 

Davids,  T.  W.  Rhys,  xxiii,  xxviii. 

Day,  G.  P.,  xxiv. 

Dead,  heavier  than  living,  116  f.;  re- 
stored to  life,  298,  304. 

Death,  better  than  violation  of  Pre- 
cepts, 306  ff. ;  does  not  end  all,  109 
ff. ;  no  cure  for,  92  ff. ;  parables  on, 
92  ff.,  109  ff. ;  realm  of,  271  ff. 

Death-warrant  borne  by  youth,  xxi, 
133  ff. 

Debt,  payment  of,  246. 

Deer,  four  herds  of,  258  ff. ;  herd  of, 
269. 

Delehaye,  H.,  xx. 

Deliverance,  xxvi  f .,  240 ;  see  also 
Nibbana. 

Demons,  man-eating,  30  ff.,  122  ff. 


Depravities  (Kllesas),  destruction  of, 

221  ff.,  233,  236,  239,  244  f. 
Despatcher-thleves,  37. 
Devadatta,  wickedness  of,  6,  11,  15. 
Dhaimnapada,  29,  94,  157,  176  f.,  179, 

234. 
Dhammapada     Commentary,     xxiff. ; 
(i.  1)  289;  (i.  8«)  289;  (xxi.  1)  291. 
Dhanlya,  herdsman,  and  Buddha,  197. 
Dicers,  two,  44  f.,  124. 
Digha  Nikaya,  xxi  f. ;  passages  trans- 
lated:    (2:1.    71-85)    246;     (11.    138) 
182;   (23:11.  319-352)   109. 
Digliavu,  son  of  Dighltl,  22  ff. 
Dlghitl,  king  of  Kosala,  20  ff. 
Discord,  folly  of,  18  ff. 
Divyiivadana,  xxii;    (406)    331;    (472- 

478)  313. 
Do  not  look  long,  short,  23  ff. 
Doctrine,  tastes  only  of  Deliverance, 

193;  wears  well,  81. 
Does  death  end  all.'  109  ff. 
Dog,  pet,  129  f. 
Doors  of  Senses,  six,  213. 
Doubt,  246. 
Dower  of  bride,  163. 
Dragon,  creates  ship  out  of  own  body, 

187;  Jewel-neck,  68. 
Dragons,  guardians  of  jewels,  72. 
Dream,  2Q,  276. 
Driftwood  is  worth  more  than  some 

men,  6. 
Drum,  magic,  49  ff. 
Drums,  sounds  of,  253. 
Dung  and   urine,  2  f.,   17,  60  f.,  90  f., 

Ill  f.,  124,  184,  285. 
Dung-pit,  man  in.  111,  285. 
Dyeing,  81  f. 
Dysentery,  137,  184. 

Earnest  Wish,  13,  151,  158,  289  f.,  302, 

304,  313  f.,  321,  323,  325. 
Ear,  Heavenly,  253. 
Earnest  Meditations,  four,  63. 
Eat  happily,  163,  167  f. 
Eat  me,  O  griffin !  298. 
Eat  me,  O  lion !  297. 
Egg,  and  germ,  209;  and  hen,  210. 
Eight  properties  of  ocean,  193  ff.;  of 

Doctrine  and  Discipline,  194  ff. 
Eightfold  Path,  Noble,  103,  236,  270. 
Elements,  four,  251. 


340 


Index 


Elopement,  94,  138. 

Elephant,   and   beetle,   90;    and   blind 

men,    75;    and    forester,    11;    gives 

son   to   carpenters,   2;    gives   tusks, 

13  f. ;  grateful,  1  f . ;  helps  carpenters, 

2f. ;  obtains  kingdom  for  prince,  5; 

partridge,  and  monkey,  59;  protects 

quail,  IGf. ;  rescues  forester,  12  ff.; 

rogue,  17  f. ;  white,  2,  12. 
Elephants  annoy  ascetics,  49. 
Embryo,  and  child,  204;  human,  216; 

of  reptiles  and  l)irds,  215. 
Emetic,  45. 
Enlightenment,    of     Buddha,    xxvi  f., 

265  ff.,  289  ff. ;  Prerequisites  of,  242. 
Eustace,  St.,  xx  f. 
Every  man  born  with  axe  in  mouth, 

199. 
Evil    communications     corrupt     good 

manners,  49. 
Evil  One,  see  Mara. 
Evil  overcome  with  good,  xxvii,  45. 
Evil  thoughts,  three,  239,  265  f. 
Exalted  States,  5,  44,  68,  98  f .,  102  f ., 

233. 
Execution  of  criminal,  9  f.,  23  f.,  110, 

116  f.,  153  f. 
Exorcism  of  evil  spirits,  292  f . 
Exposure  of  child,  138,  131  ff. 
Expulsion  of  monk,  141. 
Eye,  Heavenly,  255,  268,  284  ff. 
Eyes,    Sacrifice    of,    289,    324  f.,    326, 

330  f .,  332  ff. 

Fairies,  298  ff. 

Fairy-prince  and  griffin,  298  ff. 

Faith,  fruit  of,  171  ff.,  186  ff. 

Fast-day,  97,  99  ff. 

Fathers,  region  of,  285. 

Faustus,    Faustinus,   and    Faustianus, 

XX. 

Fields  and  crops,  228. 

Fire,  and  burning-glass,  212;  and  fire- 
drill,  120  f.,  212;  and  fire-sticks, 
229;  in  field,  207;  in  house,  207;  of 
hell,  215  ft'.;  search  for,  119  ff. 

Fire-drill,  120  f.,  212. 

Fire-sticks,  229. 

Fire-worshipper,  Jatila,  119  ff. 

Five,  blessings,  296;  future  states, 
xxvi,  43,  283  ff.,  297;  kinds  of  wilder- 
nesses,  32;    ol)stacles,   246;    persons 


of  great  merit,  159;  persons  of 
limitless  wealth,  159;  qualities  of 
food,  222;  rivers,  193,  195. 

Five-weapons,  prince,  41  ff. 

Flies,  killing,  84  f . 

Flower,  Lady,  mother  of  Visakha,  158. 

Flower-shop  of  Buddha,  233. 

Fly  befriends  quail,  17  f. 

Flying  through  air,  50  f.,  252. 

Food,  five  qualities  of,  222. 

Forbidden  ground,  63  f.,  74. 

Forester,  ungrateful,  11  ff. 

Foul-tasting  medicine,  282. 

Four,  Castes,  195;  Courses  of  Conduct, 
280  ff.;  Noble  Truths,  226  f.,  236, 
239,  256,  268;  Paths,  196  f.;  Trances, 
141  f.,  248  ff.,  263,  267. 

Fowler  and  quails,  18  ff. 

Fridolin,  xxi. 

Friendliness,  for  all  living  beings, 
xxvii  f .,  293  ff.,  299  ff. ;  for  animals, 
64  ff. 

Frog  befriends  quail,  17  f. 

Fruit,  and  seed,  210;  of  tree,  276. 

Fruits,  of  Religious  Life,  246  ff. ; 
seven,  234  f . 

Fruit-shop  of  Buddha,  234. 

Future  Buddha,  xxvii  f.;  perfects  the 
Perfections,  289  f .,  292  f . ;  reborn,  as 
antelope,  53;  Brahman  youth,  7,  37, 
66,  70,  105;  caravan-leader,  31; 
Chandraprabha,  314;  elephant,  11, 
16;  Jimuta-vahana,  299;  Kindly-and- 
Silent,  294;  king's  counsellor,  52; 
lion,  56,  89 ;  partridge,  62 ;  prince,  4, 
29,  41,  46,  103;  quail,  18,  63;  Rupa- 
vati,  313;  sea-spirit,  188;  son  of  rich 
man,  44,  84;  Shibi  (Sivi),  314,  324; 
trader,  83;  Vessantara,  290;  wise 
boar,  297 ;  wise  man,  87  f . ;  woman, 
313. 

Gandhara,  41. 

Ganges,    68  ff.;    crossed    on   dry    foot, 

173  ff.;  fording,  270  ff. 
Garment,  clean,  250. 
Garroting,  308  ff. 

Geese  scjiarate  water  and  milk,  306. 
Gem,    hatchet,    drum,    bowl,    xx,    49; 

threaded,  251. 
General  shop  of  Buddha,  243. 


Index 


341 


Generosity,  of  animals,  2  ff.,  8  ff.,  12  ff., 

16  ff.,  53  ff.;  Perfection  of,  293  f. 
Germ  and  eg:}r,  209. 
Gesta  Ronianorum,  xix  ff. 
Ghee,    jaggery,    curds,    honey,    282; 

qualities  of,  224. 
Gliosaka,  xxi,  128. 
Girl  and  fly,  84;  and  woman,  208. 
Giving,  better  for  worse,  125  f . ;  rules 

for,  163,  167;  worse  for  better,  146. 
Gods,  thirty-three,  77  f.;  without  form, 

220. 
Golden  City,  298. 
Golden  Legend,  xx  f. 
Goldsmith,  potter,  ivory-carver,  253. 
Good  and  evil  deeds,  see  Kamma. 
Good  Herdsman,  264,  270. 
Goose  swallows  jewel,  305  ff. 
Gotami,  Kisa,  xx,  92,  290;  Maha  Paja- 

pati,  149,  178. 
Granter  of  Desires,  wishing-tree,  298 

ff. 
Grasp  Scriptures  aright,  185. 
Grass,  torch  of,  275. 
Grateful  animals  and  ungrateful  man, 

xix,  6. 
Grateful  elephant,  xix,  1. 
Gratefulness  of  animals,  1  ff.,  6  ff. 
Great    Ocean,    properties    of,    193  ff.; 

qualities    of,   222;    unlike    anything 

else,  219  f. 
Greeks,  201,  203. 
Grey  hairs,  first,  97  f.,  101  f. 
GriflSn  and  fairy-prince,  298  ff. 
Grimm,    Kinder-    und    Hausmarchen, 

xix  ft". 
Guarantee  of  celestial  nymphs,  147  ff., 

150  f. 

Hackmann,  H.,  xxviii. 

HaU,  H.  Fielding,  xx. 

Halo  of  Buddha,  30,  174. 

Hamlet,  xxi. 

Hare  runs  away,  55. 

Harris,  Joel  Chandler,  xx. 

Hatchet,  magic,  49  ff. 

Hatred,  folly  of,  16  ff.,  27 ;  quenched 

by  love,  xxvii,  20  ff.,  27  ff. 
Hawk,  attacks  pigeon,  316  ff. ;  attacks 

quail,  62  ff. ;  carries  off  child,  95. 
Hay,  John,  xx. 


He  that  diggeth  a  pit  shall  fall  into  it, 

128. 
Heart,   Sacred,   see   Sacred   Heart   of 

Buddha;  soil  of,  180  f. 
Heat  makes  things  light,  117. 
Heaven,  journey  to,  147  ff.;  rebirth  in, 

110  f.,   130,  206  ff.,  255,  268,  281  ff., 

284,286;  time  in,  113. 
Heavenly  Ear,  253;  Eye,  114,  255,  268, 

284  ff. ;  Messengers,  xxvi,  97,  290. 
needfulness,  258  ff. 
Hell,  fire  of,  215  ff.;  rebirth  in,  14,  43, 

109,   199,  206  ff.,  215,  255,  268,  279, 

280  ff.,  283  ff.,  309;  Waveless,  14,  238. 
Hemp,  125  f. 

Henny-Penny,  Buddhist,  xx,  55. 
Herli-shop  of  Buddha,  236  f. 
Herds,  of  cows,  265  f . ;  of  deer,  258  ff., 

269. 
Herdsman,   Good,   264,   270;    Wicked, 

258  ff.,  270. 
Here  is  your  eye !  take  it !  324  ff. 
Heretics,  30,  75,  77. 
Heron's  Call,  5,  91. 
HInayana,  xxviii. 
Holy  Life  of  Partridge,  60  f. 
Holy  Names,  three,  172  f. 
Holy  water,  292  f. 
Honey,  ghee,  jaggery,  curds,  282;  man 

in  trough  of,  214. 
Honor    Buddha    with     righteousness, 

182. 
Honor  the  household  divinity,  163,  168. 
Hopkins,  E.  W.,  xxiv. 
Houses,  portable,  1. 
House-priest,  21  f.,  131,  152. 
How  do  we  know  that  Buddha  ever 

existed?  230  ff. 
How  do  we  know  that  the  gods  exist? 

113  ff. 
How  not  to  hit  an  insect,  82. 
Huber,      E.,      Ashvaghosha,      Sutra- 

laiiakara,  (63)  305;  (64)  314. 
Human  sacrifice,  154. 
Humorous  parables,  79  ff. 
Hunger-strike,  153. 
Hunter,  and  four  herds  of  deer,  258 

ff. ;  outwitted  by  animals,  18  ff.,  53 

ff. 
Hypnotism,  see  Concentration,  Medi- 
tation, Sainthood,  Trances. 


342 


Index 


I  have  made  them  hunjrry !  293. 

Identity,  personal,  non-existent,  204  ff. 

If  he  but  come  hither !  291. 

Imitation  of  Buddha,  293  f.,  305  ff. 

Impermanent  are  all  existing  things, 
189. 

In  union  there  is  strength,  18,  53. 

Indigestion,  acute,  129. 

Individuality,  permanent,  non-exist- 
ent, 201  ff' 

Indoor  fire  not  to  be  carried  outside, 
163,  167. 

Indoor-folk,  6,  46  f. 

Indra,  king  of  gods,  recovers  ambrosia, 
301;  tests  RupavatI,  313;  tests 
Shibi,  314  ff.;  tests  Sivi,  325.  See 
also  Sakka,  Shakra. 

Infancy  legends,  xxi,  xxv. 

Infinity,  of  consciousness,  264;  of 
space,  264. 

Insight,  151,  240  f.,  251. 

Invisibility,  175,  252. 

Irish  legend  of  St.  Brigid,  332, 

Iron  ball,  red-hot,  117,  227. 

Is  there  a  life  after  death.'  109  S. 

Ivory-carver,  goldsmith,  potter,  253. 

Ivory-carvers,  13. 

Jacques  de  Vitry,  Exemplum  57,  xxiii, 
335. 

Jaggery,  curds,  honey,  ghee,  282. 

Jains,  81  f.,  155,  164  f.,  169. 

Jameson,  Mrs.,  333. 

Janapada  Kalyani,  see  Nanda. 

Jastrow,  Morris,  xxiv. 

Jataka  Book,  xix  f. 

Jatakas  translated:  (1)  30;  [(4)  138]; 
[(9)    97];    (33)    18;    (37)    60;    (44) 
82;  (45)  84;  (46)  85;  (48)  36;  (55) 
41;  (72)  11;  (73)  6;  (91)  44;  (151) 
45;    (153)   89;    (156)    1;    (166)    104 
(168)    63;    [(182)    149];    (186)    49 
(190)     186;     (203)     66;     (206)     53 
(227)  90;  (253)  70;  (268)  87;  (322) 
55;    (357)    16;    (371)    28;    (synopsis 
of  499)  324;   [(541)  99]. 

Jaundice,  69  ff. 

Jewel,  swallowed  by  goose,  305  ff. ; 
wishing-,  223. 

Jeweler,  monk,  goose,  305. 

Jewel-neck,  dragon,  68  ff. 

Jewel-shop  of  Buddha,  237  ff. 


Jewels  of  Buddha,  seven:  yVnalytical 
Powers,  241  f . ;  Concentration,  238  f . ; 
Deliverance,  240;  Insight,  240  f.; 
Morality,  238;  Prerequisites  of  En- 
lightenment, 242  f.;  Wisdom,  239  f. 

Jewels,  guarded  by  dragons,  70  ff. ; 
of  king,  seven,  229;  rain  of,  37  f.; 
seven,  37  f.,  70  ff.,  187,  196. 

Jewels,  three  (Buddha,  Doctrine, 
Order  of  Monks),  67  f.,  172  f.,  187, 

292  f. 

JImuta-ketu,  fairy-king,  298. 
JImiita-vahana,  fairy-prince,  299  ff. 
Jiva,  Jivanti,  daughter  of  Ubbiri,  106. 
Jivaka, 141  ff. 
Journey,  recollection  of,  254  f . ;  return 

from,  248. 
Joy,  ecstasy  of,  186. 
Jiilicher,  A.,  xxix. 

Kadru,  mother  of  snakes,  300  f. 

Kamma,  power  of,  215  ff. ;  price  of 
spiritual  attainments,  233  ff. ;  ripen- 
ing of,  14,  43,  109  ff.,  115,  130  ff.,  199, 
206  ff.,  255,  268,  279,  280  ff.,  283  ff., 
294,  297,  309. 

Kappina  and  Anoja,  171  ff. 

Kathasaritsagara,  xxii,  297,  298,  330. 

Keep  the  Precepts,  41. 

Keogh,  A.,  xxiv. 

Khema,  queen,  176  ff. 

Kiki,  king  of  Kasi,  152,  158. 

Kindly-and-Silent,  king,  294  ff. 

King,    and   nun,   335;    compassionate, 

293  ff. 

King  Coustans  the  Emperor,  xxi. 
Kingdom,  renunciation  of,  172  ff. 
Kinsfolk  are  no  refuge,  94. 
Kisa  Gotami,  xx;  greets  Buddha,  290; 

seeks  mustard-seed,  92  ff. 
Knowledge,  bliss  of,  218  f. 
Kokaliya  reviles  Chief  Disciples,  199. 
Kosala,  Pasenadi,  45,  160  ff.,  191  f. 
Kosanii)i,  quarrel  at,  16  ff.,  28. 
Kshanti,  sage,  309. 
Kunala,  prince,  331. 
Kundalakcsa,  Bhadda,  151. 

I^amp,  and  flame,  205;  under  thatch, 

207. 
I^anman,  C.  R.,  xxiv. 
Largess  to  messengers  of  good,  172  ff. 


Index 


343 


Last  shall  be  first,  138. 

Lather,  hall  of,  249. 

Lawful  ground,  63. 

Libertine  and  nun,  325  ff. 

Like  the  soil  of  the  earth   is  the  soil 

of  the  heart,  180. 
Lion,  and  boar,  89,  297  f . ;   and  hare, 

56  ff. 
Liquor,    drunk    by    executioners,    24; 

drunk  by  travelers  and  beetle,  91 ; 

forbidden,  295. 
Little  Enemy,  152  ff. 
Little,  Merchant,  143  ff. 
Little  Wayman,  138  if. 
Loisy,  A.,  xxix. 
Longing  for  the  world,  246. 
Lotus-flowers,  221,  250. 
Lotus-pond,  287. 

Love  your  enemies,  xxvli,  20  ff.,  28  f. 
Lucy,  St.  of  Alexandria,  334  f. 
Lucy,  St.  of  Syracuse,  333  f . 
Lute,  24  f . 
Lyre  and  sound,  211. 

Magic,  Act  of  Truth,  174  f.,  293,  313  f., 
321  ff.,  325,  331 ;  ascension  to  heaven, 
252;  caressing  moon  and  sun,  252; 
change  of  form,  42,  44,  77  f.,  187, 
298;  change  of  sex,  314;  creation  of 
spiritual  body,  142  f.,  251 ;  darting 
through  earth,  252;  dead  restored  to 
life,  298,  304;  flying  through  air, 
50  f .,  252 ;  gem,  hatchet,  drum,  bowl, 
49  ff.;  jewel,  69  f.;  journey  to 
heaven,  147,  150;  mind-reading,  253 
f.;  multiplication  of  self,  252;  pass- 
ing through  walls,  252;  phantom 
woman,  177,  179;  rain  of  flowers, 
304;  rain  of  jewels,  37  f.;  snake- 
charm,  64  ff. ;  Supernatural  Powers 
(Six),  151,  157,  252  ff.;  varieties 
enumerated,  252;  visibility  and  in- 
visibility, 175,  252;  walking  on 
water,  174  f.,  186  f.;  wishing-jewel, 
239  f . ;  wishing-tree,  298  ff. 

Mahayana,  xxii,  xxviii. 

Majesty  of  Buddha,  30  f. 

Majjhima  Nikaj'a,  xxii;  passages 
trknslated:  (12:  i.  73-77)  283;  (19: 
i.  114-118)  264;  (21:  i.  125-126)  79; 
(22:  i.  133-134)  185;  (24:  i.  147-148) 
190;  (25:  i.  151-160)  258;  (34:  i.  225- 


227)  270;  (45:  i.  306-307)  277;  (46:  i. 
313-317)  280;  (54:  i.  364-367)  274; 
(56:  i.  384-385)  81 ;  (83:  ii.  74-83)  97. 

Makhadeva,  king,  97. 

Malice,  246. 

Mallika  and  Brahmadatta,  45  ff. 

Man,  in  palace,  286  f.;  in  trough  of 
honey,  214;  outside  of  gateway,  214. 

Mangoes,  buyer  and  seller  of,  235; 
theft  of,  206. 

Mansion  at  cross-roads,  255  f. 

Mara  the  Evil  One,  banning  of,  63  f . ; 
cleaving  Stream  of,  272  f . ;  destroy- 
ing Eye  of,  263  f.;  realm  of,  271  ff.; 
tempts  Buddha,  290  f.;  Wicked 
Herdsman,  258  ff.,  270. 

Marbles,  134. 

Marks  of  spread  hand,  auspicious,  52. 

Massage,  111  f. 

Matali,  charioteer  of  gods,  100  f. 

Medical  treatment,  of  poison,  45;  of 
pregnant  woman,  46 ;  of  wound,  1  f . 

Medicine,  foul-tasting,  282;  qualities 
of,  232. 

Medicine-shop  of  Buddha,  235  f. 

Meditation,  on  Body,  140  ff.,  237;  on 
Buddha,  186  f.;  on  lotus,  141;  on 
Seven  Buddhas,  68;  on  Three 
Jewels,  67  f.,  187;  subjects  of,  233. 
See  Concentration,  Four  Trances. 

Men  in  palace,  213. 

Merit,  persons  of,  131  ff.,  159 ;  trans- 
ferred, 187  f.;  treasury  of,  312. 

Merits  of  Buddha,  xxviii,  174  f.,  186  f., 
289  f.,  292  f.,  312,  321,  323. 

Migara,  father  of  Punnavaddhana,  160 
ff. 

Milinda  (Menander),  king,  xxii,  201  ff. 

Milindapaiiha,  xxii;  passages  trans- 
lated: (25-28)  201;  (40-41)  204;  (46- 
49)  206;  (50-51)  209;  (52-54)  210; 
(54-57)  213;  (67-68)  215;  (313-315) 
217;  (315-323)  219;  (323-326)  224; 
(326-328)  228;  (329-341)  230;  (353- 
355)  244. 

Milk,  and  butter,  205 ;  and  curds,  208. 

Mind-reading,  253  f. 

Mine  eyes  have  I  torn  out !  289. 

Mirror,  reflection  in,  212,  254. 

Misdirected  effort  spells  failure,  85, 
120. 

Mistress  Vedehika,  79  f. 


3U 


Index 


Moderation,  xxvii. 

Modesty,  importance  of,  307. 

Monasticism,  see  Religious  I-ife. 

Monkey,  and  boar,  297  f . ;  and  dyer, 
81;  and  hunter,  74;  partridge,  ele- 
phant, 59. 

Monkey-gardeners,  85. 

Morality,  foundation  of  Religious 
Life,  246;  Jewel  of,  238;  place  of 
origin  of  Nibbana,  229  f . ;  see  also 
Precepts. 

Morris,  William,  xxi. 

Mosquitoes,  killing,  82  ff. 

Mother  of  Migara,  Visakha,  107  f., 
158  ff. 

Mountain-peak,  qualities  of,  224. 

Mouse-merchant,  143. 

Mouth,  ritual  rinsing  of,  172  f. 

Much  ado  about  nothing,  55. 

Mud,  escajje  from,  226. 

Multiplication  of  self,  142  f.,  252. 

Mustard-seed,  quest  of,  xx,  92  ff. 

Mutilation,  27,  306,  309,  311. 

My  Heart,  Saviour  of  all!  314,  319. 

My  heart's  flesh  have  I  uprooted !  289. 

Nagasena,  Buddhist  sage,  xxii,  201  ff. 

Naked  Ascetics,  164  f.,  169. 

Name-and-Form,  206  ff. 

Names,  significance  of,  4,  12,  41,  51,  81, 
92,  96,  106,  130,  149,  152,  155,  171, 
201  ff. 

Nanda,  Janapada-Kalyani,  wife  of 
Nanda,  146  ff.,  178  f. 

Nanda  tlie  Elder,  146  ff. 

New  Testament  parables,  xxix. 

Nibbana,  attainment  of,  5,  44,  103,  141, 
148  f.,  198,  217  ff.,  227  f.,  233,  240, 
256,  264,  268  f .,  272  f .,  287  f . ;  goal  of 
Religious  Life,  190  ft'.;  not  a  place, 
228  ff.;  originates  in  Morality,  229  f.; 
qualities  of,  221  ff. ;  realization  of, 
224  ff.;  unalloyed  bliss,  217  ff.;  un- 
like anything  else,  219  ff. 

Nimi,  king,  99  ff. 

No  continuous  personal  identity,  204. 

No  cure  for  death,  92  ff. 

No  dear  ones,  no  sorrows,  92  ff.,  106 
ff. 

No  permanent  individuality,  201  ff. 

No  soul,  213  ff. 

No  unpolluted  burning-ground,  104  ff. 


Noble-heart,  prince,  1  ff. 
Nobody  loves  a  beggar,  68,  73. 
Non-resistance,  xxvii,  26,  29,  48,  300, 

307. 
Nothing  from  nothing,  210  ff. 
Nothingness,  264. 
Nourse,  E.  E.,  xxix. 
Nun,  and  king,  335 ;  and  libertine,  325 

ff. ;  profession  of,  94,  155,  157,  175, 

177  ff.,  326,  332  f. 
Nymphs,  celestial,  147  ff.,  150  f. 

Obstacles,  Five,  removal  of,  246. 

Ocean,  Great,  eight  properties  of,  193 
ff. 

Ogres,  anger-eating,  77  ff. ;  man- 
eating,  30  ff.,  122  f.;  Stickv-hair,  41 
ff. 

Omniscience,  Seed  of,  13;  Tusks  of,  13. 

Outdoor  fire  not  to  be  carried  inside, 
163,  167. 

Outdoor-folk,  6,  46. 

Overcome  evil  with  good,  45. 

Overcome  hatred  with  love,  20  ff.,  28  f. 

Paharada,  king  of  Asuras,  193  f. 
Pain  and  pleasure,  217  ft'.,  280  ff. 
Palace,  man  in,  286  f.;  men  in,  213. 
Panchatantra,  Book  2,  xx. 
Parables,  purpose  of,  xxix.   111,   114, 

121,  127,  260,  269;  Seven,  274  ff. 
Parallels,  xix  ff. 
Pardoner's  Tale,  xix. 
Paritta,  64  ff. 
Parrot,  grateful,  7  ff. 
Partridge,  monkey,  elephant,  59  ff. 
Parure,  great-creeper,  162  f.,  170. 
Pascasius,  333. 

Pasenadi  Kosala,  45,  160  ff.,  191  f. 
Patacara,  xx,  94  ff. 
Path,  Noble  Eightfold,  103,  236,  270; 

to  Heaven,  5,  40,  45  f.,  48,  60. 
Paths,  four,  196  f. 
Patient  is  as  jiatient  does,  79. 
Payasi,  converted  by   Kassapa,  109  ff. 
Pearl  swallowed  by  goose,  305  ff. 
Perfection  of  Generosity,  293  f. 
Perfections,  31,  289  f.,  292  f. 
Perfume-shop  of  Buddha,  234. 
Perfumed  Chamber,  170. 
Peril,  escape  from,  226. 
Phantom  woman,  177,  179. 


Index 


345 


Piece  of  meat,  2T5. 

Pigeon  and  hawk,  315  ff. 

Pious  fraud,  147  ff.,  150  f. 

Pit  of  coals,  275,  381. 

Plagues  at  Vesali,  abatement  of,  291. 

Pleasures  of  Sense,  Five,  63,  112  f.,  217, 
2G0  ff.,  274  ff.,  277  ff.,  325  ff. 

Poisoned,  arrow,  42 ;  calaliash,  281 ; 
cup,  281  f . ;  die,  45 ;  porridge,  39. 

Pool  of  water,  249  f.,  256  f. 

Potter,  ivory-carver,  goldsmith,  253. 

Potter's,  journey  to,  133  ff. 

Pound  of' flesh,  318  ff. 

Poussin,  I^.  de  la  Vallee,  xxviii  f. 

Precepts,  Five,  60  f.,  112,  201,  234; 
Ten,  109  ff.,  152,  234,  238,  280  f., 
294  ft". 

Pregnant  woman,  4,  81,  94  f.,  139,  204 
f. ;  longing  of,  21  f. ;  medical  treat- 
ment of,  46;  suicide  of,  115. 

Prepare  for  death,  97. 

Prerequisites  of  Enlightenment,  seven, 
242  f. 

Previous  States  of  Existence,  recollec- 
tion of,  254,  267. 

Pride,  246 ;  goeth  before  a  fall,  90. 

Prince-ascetic,  330. 

Prison,  release  from,  247. 

Private  Buddha,  129  f. 

Pronunciation  of  Pali  names,  xxviii. 

Pseudo-Callisthenes,  Etliiopic,  xx. 

Punnavaddhana,  liusband  of  Visaklia, 
160  ff. 

Pupil,  duties  of,  219. 

Pure  Practices,  244  f. 

Purity,  190  ff. 

Quail,  attacked  by  hawk,  62  ff. ;  crow, 

fly,  frog,  elephants,  16  ff. 
Quails  and  fowler,  18  ff. 
Quarreling,  folly  of,  16  ff.,  75  ff. 
Questions  of  Indra,  314  f. 
Questions    of    Milinda,    see    Milinda- 

panha. 
Quick  is  woman's  wit,  151. 

Rain,  of  flowers,  182,  323;  of  riches, 

37  f.,  299,  323. 
Ram,  Treasurer,   158  ff. 
Rat,  grateful,  7  ff. 
Ratana  Sutta,  292  f. 
Rat-a-tat,  55  ff. 


Rays  of  Buddha,  six-colored,  30,  174. 

Rebirth,  xxvif. ;  in  five  future  states, 
43,  283  ff.;  in  lieaven,  110  f.,  130, 
206  ff.,  255,  268,  281  ff.,  284,  286; 
in  hell,  14,  43,  109,  199,  206  ff.,  215, 
255,  268,  279,  280  ff.,  283  ff.,  309 ; 
of  Name-and-Form,  206  ff.;  with- 
out  intervention  of  parents,   109  ff. 

Recollection,  of  Journey,  254  f.;  of 
previous  birtlis,  254,  267. 

Redhand,  dyer,  81  f. 

Reed,  sword,  snake,  252. 

Refrain  from  anger,  77,  309. 

Region  of  fathers,  285. 

Relays,  The,  190. 

Religious  Life,  adoption  of,  49,  94, 
98  f .,  102,  140  f.,  149  f.,  155,  157,  175, 
177  ff.,  300,  326,  330,  332  f.;  fruits  of, 
246  ff. ;  means  of  attaining  Nibbana, 
190  ff. ;  renunciation  of,  146  ff. 

Reverence  for  elders,  59. 

Rice-porridge,  129. 

Richard,  king  of  England,  and  nun, 
335. 

Riddling,  admonitions,  23  ff.,  163, 
167  f.;   remark,   165  f. 

Rinsing  of  swords,  21  f. 

Ritual  rinsing  of  mouth,  172  f. 

Robbers'  Cliff",  154. 

Roliini,  kills  mother,  84  f. 

Rose-apple  Ijranch,  156. 

Round  of  Existences,  Beginningless, 
xxvi,  188  f.,  209  f.;  escape  from, 
see  Nibbana. 

Rupavati,  sacrifices  breasts,  313. 

Saccakiriya,  see  Act  of  Truth. 
Sacred    Heart    of    Buddha,    xxvii  f., 

289  f.,     293  ff.,    297  ff.,     311  f.,     313, 

314  ff.,  324. 
Sacrifice    of    Body    and    Blood,    xxii, 

xxviii,    13,   289,   297  ff.,    305  ff.,   313, 

314  ff.,  324. 
Sacrifice  of   Eyes,  xxii  f.,  289,  324  f., 

326  ff.,  330  f.^  332  ff. 
Sainthood     (Arahatship),    attainment 

of,   94,   107,    141  f.,    148  f.,    151,    157, 

174  f.,    177  ff.,    179,    233,    240,    256, 

264,    268  f.,    272  f.,    287  f.,    326;    by 

lay  persons,  177. 
Saketa,  relays   from  Savatthi   to,  191 


346 


Index 


f.;     residence     of     Wealth-winner, 
160  ff. 

Sakka,  king  of  gods,  and  anger- 
eating  ogre,  77  f . ;  and  celestial 
nymphs,  147,  150;  and  Nimi,  99flF. ; 
befriends  ascetics,  49;  tests  Sivi, 
325.  See  also  Indra. 

Sal-tree  and  creeper,  277  ff. 

Salvation,  see  Nibbana. 

Saiiiyiitta  Nikaya,  passages  trans- 
lated: (i.  237-238)  77;  (synopsis  of 
ii.  178-193)  188;  (iii.  119-120)  182; 
(iv.  315-317)  180;  (v.  146-148)  62; 
(v.  148-149)  74. 

Sandalwood,  red,  223. 

Sanghadasi,  reborn  as  Visakha,  158. 

Sariputta,  converts  Kundalakesa, 
156  f. 

Saxo  Grammaticus,  xxi. 

Schick,  J.,  xxi. 

Schiefner,  A.,  xix  f . 

Schiller,  Fridolin,  xxi. 

Scriptures,  to  be  rightly  grasped,  185  f. 

Sea  of  milk,  churning  of,  301. 

Sea-monsters,  194,  196;  -spirit,  187  f.; 
-voyage,  187  f. 

Search  for  fire,  119. 

Seed,  and  fruit,  210;  and  plants,  211; 
of  Omniscience,  13. 

Self-examination,  46  f. 

Self-mortification,  worthlessness  of, 
55. 

Sensation,  psychology  of,  117  ff.,  202 
ff.,  213ff.,2i7ff. 

Senses,  six  doors  of,  213. 

Seven,  Buddhas,  66,  68;  Jewels  of 
Buddha,  237  ff.;  Jewels  of  King, 
229;  kinds  of  jewels,  37  f.,  70  ff.,  187, 
196;  marvelous  escapes  of  Ghosaka, 
xxi,  131  ff. ;  relays  of  chariots,  191  f. ; 
sisters,  152,  158. 

Severed  breasts  restored,  313. 

Shakespeare,  Hamlet,  xxi. 

Shakra,  king  of  gods,  294;  see  also 
Sakka,  Tndra. 

Shankha-chuda,  delivered  from  death 
by  Jimiita-vahana,  303  f. 

She-goat,  suckles  child,  132. 

Shibi  (Sivi),  and  bird,  314  ff.;  and 
blind  beggar,  324  f. 

Shii)wreck,  50,  187. 

Shooing,  flies,  84  f. ;  mosquitoes,  83  f. 


Shops  of  Buddha,  seven,  233  ff. 

Sickness,  release  from,  247. 

Siddhas,  fairy-magicians,  300. 

Simpleton,  kiUs  father,  83  f . ;  mother, 
84  f. 

Sit  happily,  163,  167. 

Sivi  (Shibi),  and  bird,  314  ff.;  and 
blind  beggar,  324  f. 

Six  Doors  of  the  Senses,  213. 

Skeleton,  274. 

Slavery,  emancipation  from,  247. 

Sloth-and-Torpor,  246. 

Snake,  rat,  parrot,  man,  7  ff. ;  reed, 
sword,  253;  The,  185. 

Snake-charm,  64. 

Snakes,  become  double-tongued,  301  f. ; 
devoured  by  griffin,  301  ff. ;  four 
royal  families  of,  65,  67;  friendli- 
ness for,  64  ff. 

So  if  thou  wilt,  rain,  O  god !  197. 

So  many  dear  ones,  so  many  sorrows, 
107  f. 

Soil,  of  heart,  three  varieties  of,  180  f. 

Soul,  invisibility  of,  116  ff.;  non-exist- 
ence of,  213  ff. 

Sovereignty,  bliss  of,  218. 

Sower,  The,  180. 

Space,  infinity  of,  264;  qualities  of, 
223. 

Spirit,  sea-,  187  f . ;  tree-,  14,  154  f ., 
278  f. 

Spirits,  evil,  292. 

Spiritual  body,  creation  of,  142  f.,  251, 

Sponsors  for  bride,  163,  166  ff. 

Stale  fare,  165  f. 

Stench  of  human  beings,  112. 

Stick-fast  motif,  41  ff.,  74  f. 

Sticky-hair,  ogre,  41  ff. 

Stokes,  W.,  332. 

Struggle,  Great,  290. 

Subha  of  Jivaka's  Mango  Grove,  xxiii, 
325  ff. 

Sudana,  generosity  of,  294. 

Suicide,  of  pregnant  woman,  115;  reli- 
gious, 114,  314;  see  also  Hunger- 
strike,  Sacrifice  of  Body  and  Blood. 

Sun,  horses  of,  300;  of  rigliteousness, 
283. 

Supernatural  Powers,  six,  142,  151, 
157,  252  ff.  See  Magic. 

Sword,  reed,  snake,  252. 


Index 


34.7 


Sutralariikara   of   Ashvaghosha,    (63) 

305;  (64)  314. 
Sutta     Nipata,    passages    translated: 

(2)  197;  (36)  199. 

Takkasila,  41. 

Tar-baby,  Buddhist,  xix  f.,  41. 

Tawney,  C.  H.,  xxii. 

Tend  the  fire,  163,  168. 

Theft  of  mangoes,  206. 

Theri-gatha  and  Commentary,  xxiii; 
passages  translated:  (33)  106;  (71) 
325. 

Thief,  mutilated  with  saw,  306;  par- 
doned by  king,  295  f. 

Thievery  as  a  profession,  152  f. 

Thieves  kill  each  other,  38  f. 

Thirty-three  gods,  77  f.,  99  flf.,  113,  130, 
147. 

Tibetan  Tales,  xix  f. 

Timbers  and  house,  211. 

Time,  has  no  beginning,  188  f.,  209  f.; 
in  heaven,  113. 

Thoughts,  three  evil,  239,  265  f. 

Three,  Jewels  (Buddha,  Doctrine, 
Order  of  Monks),  67,  172  f.,  187; 
kinds  of  soil,  180  f. ;  kinds  of  water- 
pots,  181 ;  Refuges,  187. 

Tongue,  an  axe  in  the  mouth,  199  f. 

Torch  of  grass,  275. 

Tortoise  befriends  antelope,  54. 

Touch  not  pitch  lest  ye  be  defiled,  89. 

Trances,  Four,  141  f.,  248  ff.,  263,  267. 

Traveler,  lost,  228. 

Treasury  of  Merits,  312. 

Tree,  creeper  and,  277  flF. ;  fruit  of,  276 ; 
with  ample  shade,  286;  with  scanty 
shade,  285  f . 

Tree-spirit,  14  f.,  44,  154  f.,  278  f.; 
offering  to,  154. 

Tree-worship,  51  f.,  154. 

Trumpet,  118. 

Truths,  Four  Noble,  236,  256,  268. 

Two,  caravan-leaders,  30  fF.,  121  ff. ; 
dicers,  44  f.,  124. 

Ubbiri    weeps    for    84,000    daughters, 

106  f. 
Udana,   passages   translated:    (iii.   2) 

146;  (vi.  4)  75;  (viii.  8)  107. 
Udena,  130. 
Uncle  Remus,  xx. 


Ungratefulness  of  man,  6  if.,  11  fif. 
Unity,  imjK)rtance  of,  18  flp. 
Upali,  on  the  Jains,  81  f. 
Upasajhakas,  cremation  of  14,000,  104. 
Up])alavann£l,  receives  Anoja,  175, 
Uproot  Craving,  188. 

Vajira,  nun,  204. 

Vakkali  and  Buddha,  182  ff. 

Vasuki,  king  of  snakes,  302. 

Vedabbha  and  thieves,  xix,  36  ff. 

Vedehika,  Mistress,  79  f. 

Yesfdi,  plagues  at,  291  ff. 

Villagers  and  trumpet,  118. 

Vilva  fruit  frightens  hare,  55  ff. 

Vinata,  motlier  of  griffin,  300  f. 

Vinaya,  passages  translated:   (i.  301- 

302)    184;   (i.'  342-349)   20;   (ii.   109- 

110)   64;   (ii.   161-162)   59;   (iii.  145- 

147)  68;  (iii.  147-148)  73. 
Virtuous  do  not  return  to  earth,  110  ff. 
Visakha,  marriage  of,  158;  sorrow  of, 

107. 
Vishnu  grants  boon,  301  f. 
Vishvakarman  tests  Shibi,  315  ff. 

Wager  to  become  slave,  300  f . 

Walk  not  in  forbidden  ground,  62,  74. 

Walls,  passing  through,  252. 

Warner,  Langdon,  xxiv. 

Water,  holy,  292  f.;  of  Donation,  169; 

pool  of,  249  f .,  256  f .,  287 ;  qualities 

of,    221;    separated    from    milk    by 

geese,  306 ;  walking  on,  174  f .,  186  f ., 

252. 
Waterpots,  three  kinds  of,  181. 
Waveless  Hell,  14,  238. 
Wayman,  Big  and  Little,  138  ff. 
We  cannot  see  the  soul,  116  ff. 
AVealth,  five  persons  of  limitless,  159. 
Wealth-winner,  father  of  Visakha,  158 

ff. 
Weapons  flash  light,  152. 
Western  Ocean,  56  f. 
What  is  reborn?  206. 
Wheel  of  Religion,  xxv,  149. 
Where  there's  a  will,  there's  a  way,  1. 
Whoever  sees  Me,  sees  the  Truth,  182. 
Whoever      walks      in      righteousness, 

honors  Buddha,  182. 
Whoever  would  wait  upon  Me,  let  him 

wait  upon  the  sick,  184. 


348 


Index 


Whose  bones  are  these?  300. 

Why  weep  for  81,000  daughters?  106. 

AVicked,  do  not  return  to  earth,  109  ff. ; 
Herdsman,  258  ff.,  270;  Prince,  6  ff.; 
punishment  of,  14,  43,  109,  199,  206 
ff.,  215,  255,  268,  279,  280  ff.,  309. 

Wife  in  previous  birth,  136. 

AVildernesses,  five  kinds  of,  32. 

Wilful  persistence  in  error,  121  ff. 

Wisdom,  239  f. 

Wishing-jewel,  qualities  of,  223. 


Wishing-tree,  298  ff. 

Woman,  transformed  into  man,  313  f. ; 

wit  of,  151;  with  child,  115;  see  also 

Pregnant  woman. 
Woodpecker  befriends  antelope,  54. 
Wound,  treatment  of,  1  f. 
Wyer,  J.  I.,  xxiv. 

Ysumbras,  Sir,  xxl, 

Zoroaster,  infancy  legends,  xxl. 


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